In June 2026, students from Global Rehabilitation Outreach at the University of Washington (GROW) traveled to Baja California, Mexico, for a week of service learning and cultural exchange in partnership with Eternal Anchor, a nonprofit organization that provides services and support for people with disabilities in San Quintín.
GROW is a registered student organization (RSO) for students in the Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Prosthetics & Orthotics programs in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine. The group focuses on ethical global health education and service-learning opportunities.
During the trip, students worked with Eternal Anchor staff to learn about and build pediatric standing frames and other assistive devices. They prepared equipment for local families to take home and participated in exercise classes and activities with the organization's adult friendship club and school program.
Later in the week, students visited a local nursing home, where they provided wheelchair repairs, offered transfer training for staff, and led a dance-based exercise class for residents.
Students also learned about the process and impact of equine-assisted therapy, explored a sensory garden, hiked a local volcano, and enjoyed a beachside lunch as they wrapped up a week of learning, service, and cultural exchange.
Thank you to the Eternal Anchor team for welcoming our students and sharing their work with the San Quintín community.
For additional photos and details from the trip, visit the GROW Instagram account: Global Rehabilitation Outreach at UW.
In photos:
- Left: Students learn about equine therapy.
- Right: A student building standers and bed standers, which are adaptive devices that support children in standing positions tailored to their individual needs.