Meet our CAAMpus Celebrities (and cuties!) Eduard H. Valdés and Paola C. Díaz, President and Vice-President of MEDLIFE- UPRM Chapter.
You’ve probably heard of them, since they’re in charge of one of the newly distinguished organizations here at UPRM! Having a great idea and assembling a team to bring a new concept to life are some of the key characteristics that have allowed them achieve their goals.
Fun fact: they have been together for 2 ½ years– I bet you didn’t know that! From running an organization, to learning italiano and Mandarin, they certainly seem to do it all. This pairing has overcome numerous obstacles and influences our expectations of what a successful relationship should be. Talk about power couple!
Campus Celebrities: Paola C. Diaz and Eduard H. Valdés.
Year: Fourth
Department: Biology
HC: What led you to start a new MEDLIFE chapter in our campus?
P – We had traveled to a MEDLIFE Mobile Clinic in Tena, Ecuardor last summer. At first, we were struck by the close-up view of poverty and lack of basic healthcare services these people had. We learned a lot about their culture, common diseases and even about ourselves. We had a truly enriching and amazing experience. This trip definitely marked a transition in our lives and we thought that everyone back home should be given the opportunity to experience it too.
E – We also noticed that most volunteers didn’t speak Spanish. The language barrier prevented direct communication between the doctor and the student. That’s why Paola and I worked as translators throughout the whole trip, taking advantage of the fact that we’re bilingual. Right there and then, we knew that if we decided to participate in another volunteer trip with MEDLIFE, we needed to take more Puerto Ricans with us!
HC: What differences you the most from other organizations?
E – First of all, MEDLIFE is open to undergraduate students from all faculties. In addition, we focus on both personal and professional development. We also offer students the opportunity to learn how to express themselves clearly and with confidence. Our main mission is to provide activities that enhance students’ skills in both leadership and community service. I truly believe you learn by helping. “Estás creciendo y ayudando a crecer.”
HC: How have you managed to establish this successful organization in such a short period of time?
E – Our chapter has created a space where individuals can swap ideas and be heard. We believe that leaders and group members can mutually influence each other. We are very happy with the response we’ve received from the students; they have been very supportive and active throughout the year.
HC: If you knew how much work it meant to start a new chapter at UPRM, would you do it again?
E – Absolutely. I’m not going to lie; it has taken a large amount of work to start from scratch. We have been through many obstacles and it was somewhat stressful, but it has been an overall gratifying experience.
HC: Could you briefly summarize the projects you’ve worked on?
E – The team has ramped up their fundraising efforts during the past months organizing activities, such as bake and pizza sales. Our goal is to grant the public an opportunity to travel and experience new situations. Therefore, we decided to give something back to our members and decided to create the “Chapter Fund”. All of our profits have gone directly into this fund to help relieve the cost of the clinic for students who actively participate in the organization. It was an opportunity to reward them for their dedication and hard work.
Recently, part of our team traveled to Riobamba, Ecuador to offer health and education services to individuals that lack access to basic resources. Our work benefited around 1,384 people. We provided medical attention to 386 children and 311 adults; 173 children and adults received dental care; 137 women received gynecology attention and prevented cervical or breast cancer. Our group also built a staircase in the community of “Zazapud” and a hygiene project in the community of “Rodeobampa” that will benefit more than 300 people.
Do not hesitate and inform yourself more about our past Mobile Clinic here, and here.
HC: What are your organization’s upcoming events?
P – The organization has planned many activities. As community service, we created the “Patch Adams” activity. Members from our chapter volunteer and dress as clowns in an effort to bring humor to orphans, patients and other people. We also created an event called “Vísteme para mi fiesta”, where we collect donated prom dresses and deliver them to selected girls who cannot afford this expenses. The activity will take place Friday, April 4th on the Estadio José Antonio Figueroa, near the Paseo Litroral. The activity is open to everyone and if you’re interested in donating a used dress, send us an email.
E – We also added “Triage Training” to our list of activities. The students learn basic medical techniques. They practice how to measure vital signs, such as blood pressure and temperature; the students also learn how to use the stethoscope and perform a heart auscultation. Our chapter plans to travel again to another clinic in Perú this summer. If you would like to get more information about our Peruvian Summer Mobile Clinic please contact us or like our page on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/medlife.uprm
HC: Can you tell me more about you, besides MEDLIFE?
P – Eduard does research with Dr. Matias Cafaro. He enjoys photography, graphic design, plays instruments and also sings.
E – Paola is a sorority member of the Eta Gamma Delta, and is in charge of many activities.
P – Eduard loves writing. I, on the other hand, enjoy reading and learning new languages. We are fond of international traveling and learning about new cultures.
HC: How do you balance your schedule to be able maintain your grades, run an organization and still make time for you?
E – In terms of organization and keeping everything in order, Paola definitely takes the prize. She has become my agenda, my calendar and my alarm clock all together; I’m so glad she has because her collection of post-its and reminders has saved me more than once.
P – We’ve been together for about two years and everything has been amazing, partly because we’re so different from each other. Eduard is the kind of person that likes to be front and center, giving a conference, or offering a speech; I, however, prefer to be working on the sidelines away from the attention and the stage fright.
P – All in all, I can say, that in the time we have been together we have learned to accept each other’s faults and complement each other. This has helped us establish a solid relationship together. We’re also expecting to attend Medical School this upcoming Fall.
HC: Let’s get to the juicy stuff. I know that most couples choose to work separately. How do you manage working with each other?
P – We actually don’t mind working together at all. We think you actually have to be able to “take your work home” and talk about it comfortably whenever an idea comes to you. Doing that helps us grow closer and also improves our ability to make things happen. Sometimes a really good idea pops into your head at the middle of the night and over the phone it develops into something else that eventually comes true. It helps us a lot to be able to talk to someone else about our ideas all the time.
Photo Sources:
http://www.facebook.com/medlife.uprm