Mary Pasquinelli does not necessarily like being in the spotlight when it comes to her work with people in need. She sees herself as being a small part of something much bigger.

A registered nurse at Loyola Medical Center in Maywood, Pasquinelli returned from weeklong visit to Guatemala as a volunteer for Common Hope, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the poor and providing resources for more than 2,700 children to attend school. Common Hope also focuses on health care, housing and family development.

Pasquinelli has made the trip to Guatemala for four years. Volunteers of all types are put to work according to their skill set. Her concentration is oncology and infectious diseases, and she specializes in high-tech infusion homecare, the administration of intravenous medication in the home. As a result, she usually finds herself working in a clinic or pharmacy.
Volunteers also spend time with their same sponsor family.

“I was really excited to see our family again and the progress they have made,” Pasquinelli said. “They went from a family of 20 living in a one room shack to moving into a cinder block home.”

Pasquinelli also works as a liaison between Common Hope and one of its major supporters, Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospital.

“Every year, our organization asks for a list of what is needed,” she said. “La Grange Hospital actually fills the order, and that’s just amazing. We take the meds down there and treat the people in need.”

A nurse for 23 years, Pasquinelli plays down her own contributions to the less fortunate.

 “I’ve been raised that it’s important to help people any way I can,” she said. “I’m living out my own mission. It’s not just for Guatemala, it’s anyone who needs help. I am just a part of a huge team.”