Hillside Clinic has resumed patient care at the clinic, home health care visits, and physical therapy appointments.

Matthew Anthony Nicasio, MPH, is currently the Public Health Director at Hillside. He plans, organizes, and oversees the implementation of global health activities with medical, pharmacy, physical therapy, and public health students on their practicum rotation at Hillside Belize during the past four years. He was the Deputy Regional Manager of health services in the Southern Health Region of the Ministry of Health in Belize for four years (2006-2010). Mr. Nicasio held the post of Coordinator of the Rural Water & Sanitation Program of the Ministry of National Development, Investment & Culture in Belize (2004-2006). Between January 2001 and November 2004, he was the Project Manager of the Health Sector Reform Project in the Ministry of Health with partnership with international donors – European Union, Inter-American Bank, and Caribbean Development Bank.

On December 14, 2020 we welcomed the Hillside staff back on site. Our team was overjoyed to be back in the Hillside community, and are currently working and cleaning in preparation to open to patients this year.

Belizeans have a saying: Once you get the sand in your shoe, you will come back to Belize again.

Twenty-five years ago, the mission board of my church in Arkansas offered me the opportunity to work and live on a Mennonite mission compound in Crique Sarco, a remote Mayan village in the southernmost part of Belize. I wanted to go somewhere in the world that needed me, and although I had never before crossed the borders to Belize, I eagerly said yes! The village experience transformed my worldview and ultimately put me on the never before imagined nursing path.

Coming back to Hillside is like coming to your second home. After living and working in the Toledo District, you become part of a family. The staff always welcome volunteers back and make it feel like no time has passed. Carley was the rehab director from 2016-to 2017, and Nadine was from 2019-to 2020. Carley had the opportunity to visit the clinic in December 2019, months before Nadine was forced to pack her things in 12 hours and leave the country due to COVID. Unfortunately, she didn’t have the chance to say goodbye to the staff or patients, facing the reality that patients would no longer be able to get the help they needed and deserved.