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The IMAM (Municipal Institute of Allende for Helping Women) is promoting the program “Una mastografía para cada mujer” (A mammogram for every woman); 92 women have had the test, and 80 more are awaiting mammograms. |
The first campaign
On January 19, 2008, thanks to the initiative of a group of American residents, Peruvian singer Tania Libertad held a fundraising concert for the mammogram program. According to Araceli Martínez, head of the IMAM, the concert raised around 35,000 pesos, enough for 100 mammograms. American actress Lindsay Wagner also offered a series of conferences about life and meditation to support the program, which benefits low-income women.
Martínez said that the IMAM’s intention was to buy a mammogram machine, but due to its high cost–about three million pesos–the idea was abandoned. “There were only two mammogram machines in San Miguel, one at Hospital de la Fe and the other at Imagen Pulsar, an x-ray lab on Mesones,” said Martínez. “We could not reach an agreement with Hospital de la Fe, so we contacted Dr. Guillermo Camacho from Imagen Pulsar, who agreed to give a 50 percent discount. The test normally costs 800 pesos, and we paid 400 for each one.” Martínez said that the testing was announced on the radio and via other media and 180 women came forward. The women ranged from 28 to 70 years old; most were between 40 and 50, the most common age for developing breast cancer. “We selected the women based on family history of breast cancer and whether they already had symptoms or a previous medical diagnosis,” she said. “Unfortunately, we only had money for 100 tests, so we could only admit 100 women. In the end, only 92 had the exam.”
Doctor Camacho said he was very pleased to have helped the women in the program. Three cases of breast cancer were detected, two in an initial stage and another in an advanced stage. According to Martínez, the woman who had advanced cancer began chemotherapy.
Reto Zumba helps out
| Martínez said the IMAM wanted to help those 80 women who had not been able to have a test, so they decided to organize another event. | |
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“I used to go to Zumba in the Park, at Parque Juárez, on Saturdays, with César Espinosa (see interview in “Dance” section), so I asked him to organize a fundraising “Reto Zumba” for the program.
César agreed to help IMAM; he spread the word and the IMAM obtained permits to hold the event in the Jardin’s esplanade on October 18, the day before International Breast Cancer Awareness Day. “We gathered about 500 people and asked for donations of at least 30 pesos. We collected more than 16,000 pesos,” he said. Martínez said that because of the success of the event Mayor Jesús Correa donated 15,000 pesos to the program.
Martínez said she is talking with administrators at the General Hospital, which has just acquired a new digital mammogram machine, and if an agreement is reached the test could be performed at a cost of 100 pesos, which would allow about 300 more women to be tested. According to Dr. Camacho, he is performing the exams and training hospital staff himself.
Testing vital to success
“We take four images, two of the right breast and two of the left.” Camacho interprets the mammogram, and if some kind of irregularity is apparent ultrasound is used. “The ultrasound was included as a complimentary test along with the mammogram,” explained the doctor. “If breast cancer is detected in an early stage, it can be cured with treatment or by removing only the damaged tissue. In advanced cases, it is sometimes necessary to remove the whole breast.” According to Dr. Camacho, between 8 and 10 women come to his laboratory for a mammogram each month, a very low number considering San Miguel’s population. In the four years he has been working in San Miguel he has diagnosed 15 to 20 cases of advanced breast cancer. He recommends women over 40 have a mammogram every two years, and those over 50, every year.
Energy reform strengthens PEMEX
By Jesús Ibarra
(From PEMEX press bulletin published October 29, 2008.)
The Union Congress finally approved reforms for PEMEX (Petroleos Mexicanos) on October 29. PEMEX general director Jesús Reyes Heroles says the reform will allow the company to operate with more efficiency and transparency, and deliver better results to Mexicans.
Changes can be grouped into five categories: administration, financial, contracts, rights and sustainable use.
Administration will be strengthened by adding four new professional councillors to the Administrative Council and by establishing a Transparency Committee.
A financial bonus for citizens is allowing their acquisition of PEMEX stock, which will pay interest based on the company’s financial development and generate new income for PEMEX. A new tax system for PEMEX allows it to exploit more complex and expensive oilfields. PEMEX will have more liberty with its budget to reach its goals without increasing its expenses to create new jobs and pensions.
Contracts for external financing are permitted and national providers and contractors will be included in PEMEX’s acquisitions.
Hydrocarbons rights are retained by the nation and no rights will be conceded on the oil reservoirs. The new National Commission of Hydrocarbons functions as a technical councillor in issues regarding exploration and production, according to international industry practices.
The Sustainable Use of Energy law provides for an ideal use of energy in all its processes and activities, from exploration to consumption.
Reyes Heroles expressed satisfaction at the reform’s approval, which has no precedent in history. “PEMEX is facing great challenges…a new development stage requiring directors and workers to improve efficiency and to operate with greater transparency.”
“PEMEX will be able to improve facilities maintenance and operation safety; to increase investments for developing oilfields, to widen its gas and diesel refining capacity and to take care of the environment,” said Reyes Heroles.
For more information about PEMEX, visit www.pemex.com.
Background
The PEMEX reforms are meant to boost sagging production by allowing private and foreign investment in the state-run oil monopoly. The plan funnels more profits into exploration and helps tackle the deep-water drilling of Gulf of Mexico reserves. Deep-water well sites cost up to US$1 billion each, PEMEX’s net losses last year.
Mexico bars most outside involvement in PEMEX, bans foreigners from operating oil refineries, but signs service contracts with some private companies. The reform bill expands on that to permit deep-water exploration on a straight contractual basis, but without performance-based incentives.
Mexico’s 12.4 billion barrels of oil reserves (10 percent of the world’s total) are declining since most Gulf formations remain unexplored. The US has an interest in seeing PEMEX reserves developed because Mexico ships 540 million barrels a year north, ranking it third behind Canada and Saudi Arabia as a US oil source.
Mexico has averaged 2.8 million barrels of oil a day this year, down 10 percent from 2007. September crude output fell to the lowest level since November 1995, partly because Cantarell, its largest field, is drying up. Crude output has declined for four years and the country’s proven reserves will last only 10 more years. Oil revenues account for 40 percent of Mexico’s budget, so the trauma of that massive shortfall would be matched only by Mexico’s distaste at eventually being forced to import crude.
Critics say the bill would transfer Mexico’s oil wealth to foreigners and the business elite. They say cutting PEMEX taxes is a better option for freeing up exploration money. An even gloomier view is that the bill will not halt the company’s slide.
Biblioteca Pública a model for Guanajuato libraries
By Jesús Ibarra
Librarians from across the state met Wednesday, October 29, at the Biblioteca Pública to exchange ideas and discuss needs of Guanajuato’s libraries.
“Some libraries are completely isolated in rural communities, with only one librarian in charge, who cleans the space, orders and catalogues the books, assists the users and handles statistics,” said Alejandro Contreras, State Library Net coordinator. “The idea of the meeting is to work together to help those modest libraries and strengthen them.”
Contreras said that in Guanajuato the average library serves 31,500 inhabitants, much greater than the national average of 14,000. The municipality of San Miguel de Allende, which has four libraries, serves more than 34,000 inhabitants per library. According to Contreras, the municipality of Salamanca has 116,000 inhabitants per library.
The state’s largest libraries are the Biblioteca Central of León, the Bibioteca Pública of San Miguel, the Biblioteca Ignacio Téllez, also in León, and the Biblioteca Efraín Huerta in Celaya.
Contreras announced that Juan Alcocer, general director of the State Institute of Culture, plans 60 new libraries, some of which are already under construction.
“Dr. Alcocer has tried to manage a different library concept by integrating book service with social and cultural service. He said that the Biblioteca Pública of San Miguel is the closest to this concept. Alcocer is even trying to include a special area in some libraries for children’s parties, so that children may enjoy books during their birthday celebrations,” said Contreras.
Social Forum of America
In October, Guatemala hosted the third Social Forum of America, addressing issues such as poverty, the food crisis, land and water exploitation, and other problems affecting indigenous populations.
The forum’s six central themes were:
Achievements and challenges of the hemisphere; Populations in resistance to neo-liberalism and imperial domination; Quality of life vs. predatory capitalism; Diversities and equalities; Ideological disputes in communication, culture, knowledge and education; and Original populations and nationalities, indigenous and Afro-descendants.
The lectures and workshops opened with a ceremony to evoke their ancestors, mother earth and its fruits.
Two cosmic visions
Two different visions, the indigenous and the transforming/libertarian, coincide in “alimentary sovereignty” and “work sovereignty” concepts. The two terms refer to a population’s ability to ensure their nourishment and the work to produce it.
On October 12, the day of the Resistance of the Indigenous Populations and Nations of America, about 8,000 people united in Guatemala to uphold their rights.
Action!
Those who want to change America for good shouldn’t just wait for the next Social Forum to criticize globalization. It is not enough to know and to believe that another America is possible; we want to improve the one we have. Another America is possible only if it remains united and based in respect, equality and freedom…and transforming words into action.
San Miguel in the News
Friendly San Miguel
Every year since 1988, Condé Nast Traveler readers have taken the Readers’ Choice Survey. In 2008, the questionnaire was available to all readers through a secure website and 32,633 responded.
According to survey results, five Latin American cities were among the top 10 travel destinations for Americans: Buenos Aires, Argentina; San Miguel de Allende; Cuzco, Peru; Oaxaca; and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
San Miguel was voted the friendliest city in Latin America.
Two characters with real color
On October 23, The New York Times published an article about local newlywed artists Anado McLaughlin and Richard Schultz in its Home and Garden section. Titled “His Theory? Color Chaos,” the piece is a verbal tour through the couple’s vividly colored, astonishing home in Cieneguita, Casa de las Ranas. Readers also get a glimpse of the two and of their lives together. The pair were recently married in San Francisco.
Inspired by the article, their friend Carol Wheeler penned them a poem based on Allen Ginsberg’s famous “Howl”:
A Howl for Anado and Richard—Angelheaded Hipsters (with apologies to Allen Ginsberg)
By Carol Wheeler
They saw the best mascotas of their generation nearly destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked
dragging themselves through the cieneguita roadways at dawn
looking for any kind of fix, And they saved (so far) six dogs, six cats, two fish and four burros,
potsky slidell manchas wheels simba perla, cielo sueno malinche chicoche skookums tormenta, uds tillie, lolita cleopatra dilly jo barbarella
Angelheaded hipsters
Who gave up poverty and tatters and sat up watching movies in the supernatural darkness of the campo,
Who turned bottles into buildings and mattresses into fences and bathtubs into shrines,
Who saved us all from the ugliness of throwing away and used basura to create incredible installations of beauty and permanence,
Who give us bright shiny corners and spaces and surfaces in our own houses that catch the light and feed the dream and wake us up happy in the mornings and send us to bed filled with thoughts of art and spirit and joy,
Who balled in the mornings in the jardin in the evenings in their sala in the daylight in rose gardens and swiss chard,
Who hiccuped sometimes but laughed a lot and collected several of everything in the world that was worth looking at,
Who made great life-enhancing dramas of rooms with buddhas and shamans and gods and goddesses and presidents and writers, plastered on the walls, marching up the stairs, festooning doors and windows and fireplaces,
Who scribbled all night in their dreams rocking and rolling over lofty incantations that made the morning yellow and the daytime blue and silver and gave the nightime a golden glow,
Who cooked wonderful dishes of every kind lung heart feet tail borscht & tortillas dreaming of a pure vegetable kingdom,
Who plunged themselves into dump trucks and junk shops looking for a jewel and jumped out with dross they turned into gold,
Who seduced their friends and their enemies and anyone who saw them with bright colors, brilliant talk and generous, giving, full-hearted ways,
Who retired to Mexico to cultivate their art and ended up cultivating a whole new world—Visions! Omens! Hallucinations! Miracles! Ecstasies! Epiphanies! Breakthroughs!
With the absolute heart of the poem of life present in them as a couple, in their fiestas and their tours, in their living room, their gardens, their studios and their fish pond,
We’re with them as they celebrate their rights with state-sponsored rites and officially become our shining thrilling stupendous marriage of the century!
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