'Art of Healing' Auction to Raise Funds for Ecuador Clinic

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 11, 2013) — The ninth annual "Art of Healing" silent auction will be held from noon to 5 p.m. on Monday, April 15, in the first-floor atrium of the University of Kentucky BioPharm Complex.

The event is being hosted by the UK College of Medicine's International Federation of Medical Students' Associations (IFMSA) to benefit the Shoulder-to-Shoulder Global Clinic (Centro Médico), in Ecuador. The Centro Médico was established by Kentucky health providers in an area where more than 20,000 people live in extreme poverty with limited access to medical care. The Centro Médico provides preventative and acute care to the community in addition to home visits, dentistry, nutrition, feeding programs, and community and school health education.

As an organization at UK, Shoulder-to-Shoulder Global brings together academic and community partners to improve the health and well-being of impoverished and underserved communities globally. Three annual health brigades create learning opportunities for students, faculty, staff and community while providing supplemental support to the Centro Médico.

The auction will feature items from Kentucky and Ecuadoran artisans.  There will be a wide range of art and handcrafted items, including jewelry, paintings and ceramics.  Ecuadoran crafts and textiles will also be available for purchase. The art will be displayed in the UK Chandler Hospital lobby on the day of the auction. Artist information will be featured along with the artist's work.

To learn more about Shoulder-to-Shoulder Global or to find out how donations will be put to use, please visit http://www.uky.edu/international/shoulder_to_shoulder.

MEDIA CONTACT: Keith Hautala, 859-323-2396; keith.hautala@uky.edu