Mercy Ministries of Laredo has been named the recipient of an award totaling $231,420 from San Antonio-based Methodist Healthcare Ministries to benefit it ob, cancer-screening, and adult dental programs.

The award will go far to help fund vital MML initiatives in primary healthcare for our uninsured and underinsured client base residing in Webb County and adjacent colonias said MML chief executive officer Sister Maria Luisa Vera. 

“These critical programs are urgently needed in our service area.  This remarkable award will provide funding for direct services for our prenatal program, our cancer screening programs and to continue to provide adult dental care for our existing clinic clients,” Sister Maria Luisa explained.

She outlined some of the services the award will support:

“The award provides for low-cost or free mammograms, pregnancy tests, prenatal case management and prenatal care, including home visits by a trained health promotora (community outreach worker) and sonograms, medical diagnostics and prenatal vitamins,” she said.

“In the fall of 2006, we initiated expansion of our primary healthcare services to include dental care for the existing patient base at Mercy’s primary healthcare clinic in south Laredo. Currently, we offer an active dental hygiene education program and preventive dental health practices. The Methodist Award allows us to continue these services in 2007,” Sr. Maria Luisa noted

 Gloria Canseco, MML Director of Advancement, said the Methodist award is especially significant because it shares MML’s faith-based orientation.

“This award, from a like-minded, faith-based organization, is especially significant and encouraging for us especially since faith-based healthcare is of keen importance to Laredo’s Hispanic population.  We are honored that Methodist shares in our vision and chose to help the Sisters of Mercy to continue to the legacy of good works they have brought to Laredoans for so many years,” Canseco said.

“This award comes at a wonderful time for us and will allow us to shift our focus to Mercy Ministries’ primary funding goal for fy2008, namely a new medical mobile van,” Canseco added. “Our medical mobile van is a top priority for the coming year since the current van has operated since 1995.  The van provides neighborhood-delivered medical care operating 4 days each week and visiting 11 colonias and inner-city locations each month.

Through collaboration and visionary philanthropic partnership like that provided by the Methodist Ministries of San Antonio, MML works to share its mission and values daily.  It actively seeks partnerships with all those who can assist these efforts.

For more information, please contact Sister Maria Luisa Vera at MML at 718-6810, visit offices at 2500 Zacatecas, email mlvera@mercy.net or click on www.mercylaredo.com