Not only are children here in KELOLAND being touched by Denny Sanford’s 400 million dollar gift, children in Central America will soon receive his gifts as well.  The health system is showing its international commitment to children.

Sanford Health will soon help heal a country of just over 300 thousand people. Children in Belize will soon have better access to quality health care.

Just south of Mexico and east of Guatamala sits a small country…with serious pediatric health needs.

“We have an incredibly young population for various reasons so the need is enormous for good quality pediatric care…good quality healthcare in general but especially pediatric care,” said Dr. Peter Allen, Chief Executive Officer of the Belize Ministry of Health.

It’s for that reason Sanford Health has chosen the country to build it’s first international Children’s Clinic. It’s a conversation that began a year and a half ago…and after visiting the country, sanford health officials feel their pediatric care is needed.

“If we do something in Belize it doesn’t take away from something we’re going to do locally here,” said Rich Adcock, Executive Vice President with Sanford Clinic.

But Rich Adcock, Executive Vice President with Sanford Clinic, says their goal is to improve life of children nartionally and internationally.

The children’s clinic will be built next to one of Belize City’s leading healthcare institutions and is expected to open in 2011.

“We’ll build the appropriate structure for belize. We haven’t quite worked through all those details but it will intend to be a castle,” said Adcock.

With 52 percent of the country under the age of 19…Sanford Health hopes it that castle can bring quality pediatric healthcare to an impoverished country.