Thursday's outing to Saint Andrew's Children Clinic was quite the eye-opener, and no pun intended there.

I couldn't believe the services provided - from physical therapy, orthopedic care, audiology and optometry - the participating children were so lucky to receive this kind of medical attention.

But receiving the services isn't as easy as showing up, some families traveled from hours across Mexico, and some had to schedule their child's appointment months in advance.

Nidia Tinajero, 16, came from Hermosillo, Mexico, a three-hour drive away to receive orthopedic treatment for a rare disorder she has, Angelman Syndrome. Her mother scheduled her appointment six months in advance, a common situation the two have been in for about 10 years already, as Saint Andrew's is one of the only opportunities for Nidia to receive medical care, said her mother, Nidia Tinajero.

The volunteers that come to the clinic include doctors, University of Arizona medical students and interpreters.

Nidia has always seen the same doctor, Francisco Valencia, M.D., who works at at the Tucson Medical Center.

Unfortunately for Nidia, on Thursday she didn't come with X-rays, so her and Tinajero had to go to a local hospital to obtain them, and bring them back later in the afternoon to receive the services.

The clinic's busiest times occurred before noon Thursday, and things started to slow down afterwards. For families that couldn't get an appointment, there is always next month, on the first thursday.