Patient Referral Program

LATEST UPDATE

Thanks to all your donations, Irene was able to get her pair of hearing aids fitted perfectly. She will be receiving these in a week.

UPDATE

Dra. Rosario Giron followed up with this patient and was able to take the patient to a specialized clinic. After several tests, the clinic was able to give us a quote for the hearing aids. Please consider donating to Irene.

Background

AGE: 21
COMMUNITY: Ojo de Agua, Yuscaran
DIAGNOSTIC: Hearing loss

Irene is 21 yrs, she has a twin sister, went to high school and already graduated. She was born with a defect in both of her ears, giving her  a hearing loss problem. Irene has had hearing aids in the past but has since grown out of them. Communication is very difficult for Irene without the help of her hearing aids.

Irene went with her mother to a medical brigade in Ojo de Agua, with hopes of finding the hearing aid devices she needs, but unfortunately we do not carry these devices on brigades.  

Next Steps

We are hoping to help Irene through the referral program, and start raising funds in order to buy the hearing aids she needs.

Call to Action

Please help support our efforts to raise the funds to help Irene get a new pair of hearing aids.

UPDATE

Merlin received the glasses he needed thanks to the direct donation of an Eli Lily volunteer.

Background

AGE: 6
COMMUNITY: Caragual, Nacaome, Valle
DIAGNOSTIC: Bilateral Strabismus

Merlin is a patient who was identified by a volunteer participating in the Eli Lily brigade and was immediately enrolled in the Patient Referral Program. Merlin has bilateral strabismus, which, according to the doctor, will need to be corrected by surgery within a couple of years. In the meantime, he needs glasses to improve his vision at school, where he is an outstanding student with excellent grades.

Next Steps

N/A

Call to Action

Merlin has received the glasses he needed.

Background

AGE: 12
COMMUNITY: Santiago de Puringla, La Paz
DIAGNOSTIC: Childhood Cerebral Palsy

Edman is a 12-year-old patient who attended the brigade in the community of Santiago de Puringla, La Paz, hosted in collaboration with the University of South Florida Medical Chapter. During the event, our staff identified the need for a walker, as Edman can only walk with the support of his mother. We are grateful for the response of the volunteers from the University of South Florida Medical Chapter, who fundraised to purchase the walker for Edman and delivered it on the last day of their brigade.

Next Steps

N/A

Call to Action

N/A

UPDATE:

The case was able to be closed thanks to the donations we received previously, which allowed us to purchase that cane.

Background

AGE: 83 years old
COMMUNITY: San Marcos de Colon, Choluteca
DIAGNOSTIC: Difficulty Walking

Enma is an 83-year-old patient with a history of hip trauma that impairs her walking. She is requesting a cane for assistance.

Next Steps

We are hoping to help Enma raise funds to get her cane.

Call to Action

Please help us raise funds so that Enma can get her cane.

UPDATE

According to her parents, Nohemí is slowly recovering with physical therapy. Her most urgent needs at the moment were disposable diapers, wet wipes, and nutritional supplements, which were delivered to her on October 7, 2024. We still need to provide her with a pressure-relieving mattress, which she will be receiving on our next visit to the community.

We are deeply grateful to all the donors for their support.

Background

Age: 16
Community: El Naranjo, Santa María, La Paz
Diagnostic: Spinal Cord Injury

Four months ago, Nohemi had a motorcycle accident while on her way to school, resulting in spinal cord damage and loss of mobility in all her limbs (both upper and lower). She is currently fed through a tube in her trachea and is being transported to therapy by her parents. They are requesting support for diapers, wet wipes, and special milk for nutrition.

Next Steps

We are hoping to help Nohemi and her family raise funds to get the supplies they need.

Call to Action

Please help us raise funds so that Nohemi can get her supplies.

UPDATE

Francisco received a new wheelchair, delivered on October 7, 2025. Additionally, due to his condition, he requires urinary catheters, which have been provided to him. Since his diet consists mainly of liquids, we also acquired milk and protein supplements to enhance his physical condition.

We are deeply grateful to all the donors for their support.

Background

Age: 29
Community: Aldea Los Pazis, Santa María, La Paz
Diagnostic: Paralysis of the lower limbs

Francisco had a work accident 4 years ago, and as a result, he lost mobility in his lower limbs. He received a wheelchair (shown in the photograph), but it is now in very poor condition, so he needs a new one to carry out his daily activities.

Next Steps

We are hoping to help Francisco raise funds to be able to get a new wheelchair.

Call to Action

Please help us raise funds so Francisco can get his wheelchair.

UPDATE:

Cristofer was able to get his hearing aids on July 2024, along with the spare batteries. He will continue to have follow up appointments once a month for the following year.

Background

Age: 15
Community: El Suyate, Morocelí
Diagnostic: Bilateral Hearing Loss

Cristofer is a 15-year-old patient who lives in the community of Suyate, Moroceli, and whose mother reported that she noticed her son’s difficulty in listening since he entered kindergarten and noticed the difficulty in learning. He had never had any type of exams performed due to lack of financial resources since he only lives with his mother and siblings and they could not pay for the exams. He was seen in one of our medical brigades in his community and referred to the referral program, to help this boy with all the desire to live to be a promise for the future. He has already had his hearing tests performed and funds are needed to purchase his hearing aids.

Next Steps

Please help us raise funds to be able to get hearing aids for Cristofer.

Call to Action

Please help us raise funds so that Cristofer can get the hearing aids he needs.

LATEST UPDATE:

Anyeli Ortiz was able to receive her surgery on April 22, 2024. We appreciate all your thoughts, support, and donation to making this happen.

UPDATE:

Anyeli was taken to the ophthalmologist in Tegucigalpa and is awaiting cardiological evaluation and to schedule surgery for January.

Background

AGE: 5
COMMUNITY: Colonia 3 de Febrero, Marcovia, Choluteca
DIAGNOSTIC: Congenital Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction

Anyeli is a young girl of five years old who resides in a southern coastal community in our country called Colonia 3 de Febrero. Unfortunately, she suffers from a condition where her nasolacrimal canal experiences an obstruction, causing her to suffer from frequent infections, particularly in her left eye. Without surgical intervention, this malformation could potentially lead to permanent eye damage. She shares a household with her grandmother who solely supports them through her income from fish sales. As a result, it has been difficult to gather the necessary financial resources for Anyeli to undergo the surgery she urgently requires.

Next Steps

Anyeli needs to undergo surgery urgently for her condition.

Call to Action

Please help us raise funds to be able to get surgery for Anyeli.

LATEST UPDATE:

Lesly was able to get her hearing aids on July 2024, along with the spare batteries. She will continue to have her follow up appointments once a month for the following year. Lesly is extremely grateful for the opportunity of hearing for the first time in her life.

UPDATE:

Lesly was taken to the ENT doctor and had audiometry done, which must be repeated next year for the hearing aids to be made.

Background

AGE: 7
COMMUNITY: Las Uvas, Teupasenti
DIAGNOSTIC: Bilateral Hearing Loss

Lesly is a 7-year-old girl, whose case came to us through our coordinator Luis Diaz. She lives with her family in the community of Las Uvas, Teupasenti – a community located in a rural area 3 1/2 hours from the capital. Her father farms beans and corn and it is their only family economic resource. Marco Tulio, Lesly’s father, informed us that his daughter has been diagnosed with a hearing problem for a long time, but due to a lack of economic resources, he has not been able to realize his dream of having Lesly be able to hear normally. To communicate with her, he must speak directly into her ear or she cannot hear him. He has been patiently waiting and has requested help for his daughter.

Next Steps

Please help us raise funds to be able to get the hearing aids for Lesly.

Call to Action

Please help us raise funds so that Lesly can get the hearing aids she needs.

UPDATE:

Thanks to your donations Nevany was able to receive orthopedic braces. Thank you to all the donors who made this possible.

Background

AGE: 9 months
COMMUNITY: La Chorrera, Jacaleapa
DIAGNOSTIC: Bilateral clubfoot

Nevany is a 9-month-old baby who was born with bilateral clubfoot, which was left untreated at birth. She will soon be at an age where she can start walking, and the need for surgery was urgent, which was performed at a public hospital a few weeks ago. She now needs the orthopedic braces shown in the photo.

Next Steps

We are hoping to help raise funds to be able to get the braces for Nevany.

Call to Action

Please help us raise funds so that Nevany can get the orthopedic braces she needs.

UPDATE

Thanks to your donation our patient Dunia Zepeda was able to travel all the way to Tegucigalpa. She was attended by our incredible optometrist Dr. Jose Luis Moncada and he was able to perform a vision exam. She was able to choose her favorite pair of frames which we will then send to a laboratory for her exact prescription. She will be receiving this pair of glasses in 7 days!

Background

AGE: 38
COMMUNITY: El Ocote, Cantarranas
DIAGNOSTIC: Hypermetropia (Farsightedness)

Dunia is a housewife with 3 children who live in the community of El Ocote, Cantarranas. She maintains her home by selling AVON items. She says that from the age of 10, she started with symptoms such as headaches and difficulty with near vision. Currently, she wears glasses that a relative lent her because due to her limited financial resources, she is unable to buy the ones she needs.

She was recently seen in one of our medical brigades in her community and through the consultation at the optometry station she was referred to have the possibility of raising the necessary funds for the glasses that will fit perfectly for her.

Next Steps

We would like to help Dunia raise funds to be able to provide her with the glasses she needs.

Call to Action

Please help us raise funds so that Dunia can get her new pair of glasses.

UPDATE

Thanks to all your donations, Sagrario got her surgery and is now in recovery. She sends her warm regards to all Global Brigades staff members and donors.

Background

AGE: 57
COMMUNITY: El Espinito, San Matias
DIAGNOSTIC: Hysterocele Grade IV

Suyapa is a CHW, trained in 2017 in the community of El Espinito, San Matías. Due to her multiple pregnancies (9), and the heavy work she used to do at home, her uterus has descended to the degree that it comes out of her genital area, making her life difficult, with the risk of infections. This has also added the discomfort of even sitting down and performing daily activities.

She visited the local public hospital in order to obtain a place for surgery, but she has been on the waiting list for 3 years now.

Next Steps

We are hoping to help Suyapa raise funds to be able to get surgery to treat her medical condition.

Call to Action

Please help us raise funds so that Suyapa can get her surgery.

LATEST UPDATE (June 21, 2023)

Unfortunately, Dulce Noelia Corrales has decided to step down from the program. Therefore, the funds collected in her account will need to be re-directed to other open cases. If you donated to her case, please contact us at [email protected] to allocate your donated funds accordingly.

UPDATE

With the funds that were previously fundraised, Dr. Giron was able to take the patient to a clinic and get X-rays. With these X-Rays we were able to take them to a surgeon who has agreed upon taking her case.

With that being said, we have updated the goal for Dulce to receive her surgeries. Please consider donating to her case.

Background

AGE: 11
COMMUNITY: Coyol de Linaca, Choluteca
DIAGNOSTIC: Apert Syndrome, Syndactyly  

Dulce lives in a community in the south of the country, with her parents and siblings. She was born with a condition known as Apert Syndrome. As a result of this condition Dulce has fused fingers and toes.

Next Steps

We are raising funds to take Dulce to a pediatric surgeon and get x-rays to receive a recommendation whether a surgery is possible for her.

Call to Action

We are raising $120 for Dulce’s case. Join us as we reach toward this goal.

Background

AGE: 8 and 10
COMMUNITY: Athens
DIAGNOSTIC: High Myopia (-5.25) and High Myopia (-5.00)

Meverdy (8 years of age) & Naomi (10 years of age) are siblings and face serious vision problems due to high myopia in both eyes. They don’t have access to healthcare in Greece and they are both literally blind without the glasses. They came to our Athens Clinic in May and were seen by Nagia, our Ophthalmologist.

Apart from the daily life’s difficulties they face, their vision problems also affect their social life and the possibility to have a normal childhood. It’s very difficult for them to communicate with others and be fully functional at school and other social environments.

Next Steps

The goal of the fundraising is to raise $444 USD / 400 euros in order to provide Meverdy and Naomi with the appropriate distance glasses they need.

Call to Action

Please help support our efforts to raise the funds to help Meverdy and Naomi so that they can get the appropriate distance glasses they need.

* We don’t have pictures from Meverdy and Naomi. In the picture you can see our ophthalmologist with 2 GB volunteers

Update

We would like to thank all who donated to Maudi. With the funds that were previously fundraised, Dr. Giron was able to take Maudi to a clinic where she received her ocular prosthesis.

Thank you for making an impact!

Background

AGE: 20
COMMUNITY: Potrerillos, Teupasenti
DIAGNOSTIC: Congenital eye problem

When Maudi was born her right eye didn’t form correctly. As the years have passed the doctors had to perform a surgery on her eye but she would never recover her vision and now needs an ocular prosthesis. She has been using a prosthesis since she was 7 years old and needs to change them periodically.

She has been receiving help from a church and other people interested in her case, but in the last three years she has not been able to change the prosthesis. This is causing her to get repeated eye infections. 

Next Steps

We want to help Maudi buy a new ocular prosthesis through the patient referral program.

Call to Action

Please help contribute to Maudi’s case to get her a new prosthesis.

Background

AGE: 17
COMMUNITY: Athens
DIAGNOSTIC: Myopia

Z.S.* is 17 years old, born in Afghanistan and since January 2022 she has been hosted in a shelter for unaccompanied minors called “Oikos” supported by the NGO “Zeuxis”. She doesn’t have any family or other supportive network here in Greece and is not provided with any kind of income or resource. After referring to vision problems, Z.S. was examined in GB’s urban Clinic by Naya Mpougatsou, one of our ophthalmologists, and was diagnosed with myopia but, unfortunately, we couldn’t manage to find the appropriate glasses for her. The glasses will help her have a better quality of life and school attendance.

The goal of the fundraising is to raise $200 USD / 200 euros in order to provide Z.S. with the appropriate glasses she needs. 

* We cannot share this patient’s full name or photo because of GDPR (data protection) reasons. In the picture you can see our ophthalmologist with 2 GB volunteers

Next Steps

We want to help provide Z.S. the appropriate glasses she needs through the patient referral program.

Call to Action

Please help contribute to Z.S.’s case to get her the new glasses she needs.

UPDATE

We would like to thank everyone who donated to Manuel’s patient referral case. He was able to get all the medications needed to treat his eye parasite. Even though his treatment is for one month, according to Dr. Rosario there has been significant improvement in his eye.

Background

AGE: 15
COMMUNITY: 3 de Febrero, Marcovia, Choluteca
DIAGNOSTIC: Ocular parasite

Manuel is a patient with a 4-month history of difficulty seeing in the right eye, which presented suddenly with inflammatory changes. Currently, he has pain and blurred vision. When he first visited the medical brigade, Manuel had not been to a specialized evaluation due to his economic condition. Fortunately, we already have the diagnosis and he needs to take medication for a period of one month and later be re-evaluated by the ophthalmologist.

Manuel’s parents live in the poorest area of our country and whose income is solely based on fishing, which is why they have not sought help until the brigade arrived in their community.

Next Steps

We are hoping to help Manuel raise funds to purchase the medication he needs to treat the parasite.

Call to Action

Please help us raise funds so that Manuel can treat his condition.

UPDATE

Thanks to your donations our little patients Jose, Cristofer, and Licy were able to travel from El Junquillo to our Urban Clinics in Tegucigalpa. They were attended by our incredible optometrist Dr. Jose Luis Moncada who was able to perform a vision exam. They were able to choose their own frames and these glasses will be sent to a laboratory that will work on their exact prescription. They will be receiving their glasses in 7 days!

Background

AGE: 19, 11, 15
COMMUNITY: El Junquillo, Teupasenti
DIAGNOSTIC: Hypermetropia (Farsightedness)

These 3 patients belong to the same family. They live in the community of El Junquillo, Teupasenti, a rural community. Their mother is the only one who works in the family selling fruits and it is difficult for her to buy the glasses they need. She realized that her children had problems seeing, and therefore their school grades were not good and they are behind in their school years. They were seen in the medical brigade that assisted their community, with the University of Arizona where they were told about the need to wear glasses to improve their quality of life and to be able to complete their years of study with better results.

Next Steps

We would like to help Jose Raul, Cristofer and Lucy raise funds to be able to provide them with the glasses they need.

Call to Action

Please help us raise funds so that these 3 community members can get their new pair of glasses.

UPDATE:

Thanks to your donations our patient Eliezer Juan Carlos Flores got the corrective surgery and is now in recovery. We would like to thank all of the donors who made this possible.

Background

AGE: 15 years old
COMMUNITY: Chandala, Cantarranas
DIAGNOSTIC: Grade I left varicocele

Juan Carlos is a 15-year-old residing in Chandala, a rural community located 1 1/2 hours from the capital. He shares his home with his father, who works in agriculture, and his two siblings. His father’s daily wage is Lps 150 (~6 USD) when there is work available. Two years ago, Juan Carlos began experiencing discomfort in his private area and was subsequently diagnosed with the enlargement of one testicle at his community’s health center. Failure to receive corrective surgery for this condition may result in a negative impact on his fertility in the future.

Next Steps

We are hoping to help raise funds to be able to get surgery for Juan Carlos.

Call to Action

Please help us raise funds so that Juan Carlos can get his surgery.

UPDATE

We would like to thank all who donated to César. Our Patient Referral manager was able to take César to a clinic that specializes in prostheses. With your donations, we were able to provide César with a new prosthesis for his leg.

Background

AGE: 47
COMMUNITY: Animas, El Paraíso
DIAGNOSTIC: Amputation caused by an electric burn

César suffered an occupational accident 23 years ago (electric burn) losing both upper limbs and left leg. He has had a prosthesis on his leg for 21 years, which is no longer functional for which a donation is requested for a new prosthesis.

Next Steps

We are hoping to help César through the referral program, and start raising funds in order to buy a new prosthesis.

Call to Action

Please help support our efforts to raise the funds to help César get a new prosthesis.

Background

AGE: 32
COMMUNITY: El Palomar, Potrerillos, Teupasenti
DIAGNOSTIC: Cerebral Palsy, Epilepsy

Bessi is a 32-year-old woman who was born with cerebral palsy and epilepsy. Her mother has been taking care of her since she was born and they live in a modest home surrounded by coffee fields. Her mother has dedicated her life to Bessie’s care, which means that she hasn’t be able to work. Bessie’s health condition demands constant buying of medications, diapers, and body lotions to prevent skin dryness and ulcers. Please consider helping us raise funds in order to buy supplies for Bessi.

Next Steps

We would like to raise funds to buy Bessi medications, diapers, and body lotions.

Call to Action

Please support our efforts to raise funds for Bessi!

UPDATE

We would like to thank all of the volunteers who donated to Marlin. Dra. Rosario Giron, CHE and Patient Referral manager, was able to visit Marlin and hand him the diapers, ensure, acetaminophen, and vitamins.

Background

AGE: 7 years
COMMUNITY: Los Almendro, Potrerillos, Teupasenti
DIAGNOSTIC: Cerebral Palsy

Marlin Noel was born in the public hospital in Danlí. His mother only went to a few check-ups at the health center in Potrerillos during the pregnancy, but remembers the birth being a normal procedure. When Marlin was first born he was a healthy child, but at 8 months old his mom noticed that he barely moved and couldn’t sit up by himself as a normal 6 month old baby would be able to do. At this time, Marlin’s mom decided to take him to the doctor where they diagnosed him with cerebral palsy. Receiving this news was hard for the family; nevertheless, they took great care of Marlin and took him to many stimulation therapy sessions. We first met Marlin during a Medical Brigade where his mom requested diapers and milk (pediasure). These are items that he needs all day and due to limited economic resources she is not able to purchase these items for Marlin as frequently as is needed.

Next Steps

We are raising money to provide Marlin and his family with much needed diapers and pediasure.

Call to Action

Please help us support Marlin and his family!

Background

AGE: 13
COMMUNITY: El Zapote, El Paraíso
DIAGNOSTIC: Refractive error (nearsightedness/myopia)

We first met 13 year old Kelvin Ariel Sosa on a medical brigade in Los Terrones, El Paraíso in February of 2018. His vision problems became apparent at a young age when he faced difficulties at school performing certain tasks, such as reading and writing. He has been using glasses for a number of years, but his family cannot afford to buy him glasses every time he requires new ones. Therefore, we want to help him through the Patient Referral Program.

Next Steps

We would like to take him to the ophthalmologist for a check up and to get him a new pair of glasses.

Call to Action

Please help support our efforts to raise funds to help Kelvin get a new pair of glasses and to see an ophthalmologist.

Background

AGE: 9 years
COMMUNITY: Zarzal, El Paraíso
DIAGNOSTIC: Mandibular Condylar Hyperplasia

During one of our Medical Brigades that took place in El Zarzal, El Paraíso, we met this cute girl named Alexandra. She went with her family to the brigade looking for medications for different symptoms they were experiencing at the moment. When the doctor was checking Alexandra, they could instantly tell she has a deformity on her face. After asking a little bit more about the situation, we found out that she has already had different surgeries. She was born with mandibular condylar hyperplasia, which is an overdevelopment of the condylar head and neck as well as the mandible, creating jaw and facial deformities.

Next Steps

Alexandra needs another corrective surgery. Luckily for this little girl Operation Smile is already helping her and is going to take care of the surgery she needs, but her family has trouble attending the medical appointments because they have no money for transportation. Therefore we want to help Alexandra and her family make this surgery possible by raising funds in order to pay for their transportation in order to make it to the appointments in Tegucigalpa. They spend approximately $50 on each visit.

Call to Action

Please support us in our effort to raise funds for Alexandra in order to make her next surgery possible!

Background

AGE: 5 years
COMMUNITY: Granadilla, Moroceli
DIAGNOSTIC: Danna was found during a Community Health Worker visit while the volunteers were teaching the kids how to recycle. The couldn´t help but notice that this little girl was sitting aside just watching the kids play. When the voluneers tried to get her involved with the other children, they noticed that Danna has a visual problem.

Danna’s visual problem is called strabismus, which needs to be checked by an ophthalmologist. As the same time, Danna walks with a little bit of difficulty and has a weak muscular tone on her right arm.

Call to Action

We are raising funds in order to get her checked by a pediatrician and define a proper treatment. Please consider donating today to help us get Danna to a pediatrician.

Update

Thank you to Wayne State University for donating $115 to Danna’s Patient Referral case!

Background

AGE: 32
COMMUNITY: El Espinal, Esteli, Nicaragua
DIAGNOSTIC: Severe bilateral cavus foot (deformity of the foot)

Bayron was seen during a medical brigade in San Jose de Pire with Marquette University, but he lives in a community called El Espinal which is approximately 45 min away from the city of Esteli. We visited his family in February to determine a plan of action. He has suffered from this condition since he was 5 years old. While he is still able to walk and ride a bike, the pain of everyday activity continues to worsen with age. He has entered into the Patient Referral program with hopes that we can improve his quality of life.

Next Steps

We are raising funds so that Bayron can undergo corrective surgery.

Call to Action

Help us initiate this fundraising so Bayron can receive his surgery!

Background

AGE: 6 years
COMMUNITY: Coyol de Linaca
DIAGNOSTIC: Eye Injury, Hemorrhoids

German was found by Global Brigades staff while working at his home during one of the Public Health Brigades.

German has been visiting several doctors because of his intestinal problems, since very small he´s been dealing with irritable bowel syndrome with severe constipation. As a product of this he has developed chronic hemorrhoids. He is receiving proper treatment, but he might need a surgery if these medications don´t work effectively. Additionally, several years ago, German fell down and developed an eye injury. He currently has low visibility from his right eye.

Next Steps

He needs a follow-up for his gastrointestinal problem and a check up by an ophthalmologist for both of his medical conditions.

Call to Action

We are fundraising $100 for German in order to take him to visit physicians for his medical conditions. Please consider donating to his case.

Background

AGE: 3
COMMUNITY: San Antonio de Oriente
DIAGNOSTIC: Eye Injury

Josue Alexander went with his mom to a Medical Brigade in January of 2018. He went to the brigade looking for vitamins and acetaminophen, but then the doctors saw that he had an eye patch and asked what happened to his eye. On January 10th, 2018, Josue was playing outside his home and fell down. Unfortunately when he fell, he hit his face to the ground, and there was a stick, which caused an eye trauma.

Next Steps

He needs an ophthalmologist to check his eye as soon as possible and decide whether he needs an eye surgery or a prosthetic eye. For now, our fundraising is going to be used to take him to the ophthalmologist and have a proper diagnosis and treatment be done. We will need to fundraise more for Josue once we know exactly what his next steps are.

Call to Action

Please consider donating to his case, as it is really important that he sees a specialist as soon as possible to determine next steps in his treatment.

UPDATE

Dra. Rosario Giron, CHE and Patient Referral manager, was able to communicate with his family and we were informed that he got surgery at Hospital Materno Infantil.

Background

AGE: 2 years
COMMUNITY: Jacaleapa, El Paraíso
DIAGNOSTIC: Cryptorchidism / Testicular Agenesis

Luis Enrique went with his family to a medical brigade in a community called Las Crucitas. This brigade took place in Dec. 2016, and through the referral program, we’ve been monitoring this case ever since. He was diagnosed with cryptorchidism (undescended testicle) and referred to a public hospital for further evaluation. His dad works as a mason and does not have consistent work. Sometimes, he is hired for only 3-4 months at a time after which he must look for other agricultural positions to provide food for his family. Due to their low monthly income, the family cannot cover the medical costs associated with treating Luis’s condition.

Next Steps

We are raising funds to take him to the radiologist, get an ultrasound, and, afterwards, to visit a pediatric surgeon. The donated funds will go towards the tests as well as the transportation to and from the hospital.

Call to Action

We are looking to raise $150 to help cover the above listed costs.

Background

AGE: 7
COMMUNITY: Pajarillos, Cantarranas
DIAGNOSTIC: Hip Dislocation

Fernando was recently found during a medical brigade in Tomatin, but he lives in a community called Pajarillos which is approximately 30 min away from Tomatin. We visited this family in their house, and his mother and little sister were there. The kids weren´t wearing any shoes, and the family lives in a small humble home. The reason why Fernando was referred to our program is because one of his legs is longer than the other one, he hasn´t visited any specialist for this condition, which could be a congenital hip dislocation.

Next Steps

We are raising funds in order to take him to the doctor, get x-rays, and define a plan of action.

Call to Action

Help us initiate this fundraising so Fernando can visit a specialist!

Background

AGE: 9
COMMUNITY: Tomatin, Cantarranas
DIAGNOSTIC: Cerebral Palsy

We met this handsome little boy at the community of Tomatin during a Medical Brigade. He was born with a medical condition called cerebral palsy, which affects primarily body movement and muscle coordination. His mother is very supportive and takes him to doctor´s follow up and rehab sessions. Because of her support and care, Mario is very sociable, active, energetic, and communicates very well. During the Medical Brigade doctors could tell that he has a low weight and needs nutritional support.

Next Steps

We are raising funds to buy Pediasure that will help Mario gain weight and be healthier.

Call to Action

Please consider donating to Mario’s case, so we can help Mario reach his weight and health goals.

Background

AGE: 14
COMMUNITY: Los Higueros, El Paraíso
DIAGNOSTIC: Down Syndrome/Flaccid Paralysis

We found out about Carlos Daniel´s case because of a medical brigade that took place in Los Higueros. His mother went to the brigade requesting medication for his son. When she explained that she couldn´t take him to the brigade because he can´t walk, the doctors and staff decided to go visit him and refer him to GB Patient Referral Program.

Carlos Daniel was born with Down Syndrome and paralysis from his left arm and both legs. He can´t walk, eat or bathe by himself. His mom has to help him permanently, and the main reason why his mother couldn´t take him to the brigade is because they don´t have a wheelchair to help move him around. Let’s help Carlos Daniel have a wheelchair of his own!

Next Steps

We are hoping to deliver a wheelchair to Carlos Daniel soon!

Call to Action

If you or your brigade is able to bring any wheelchairs to help Carlos Daniel or any of the other patients in our Patient Referral Program please let us know by contacting us at [email protected]!

Background

AGE:21
COMMUNITY: El Cantón
DIAGNOSTIC: Cataracts, cleft palate, severe contractures in both legs

In August of 2014, the patient referral team went for a consultation with Nelson Leonel Matute in the community of El Cantón. Nelson entered the Patient Referral Program at 18 years old and was first seen by the University of Pittsburg during a medical brigade in El Cantón, where he was recommended to the patient referral program.

Nelson suffers from cataracts, a cleft palate, as well as severe contractures in both legs. He had three surgeries to correct his cleft palate, but he still needs an additional surgery to help his speech impediment. Due to the severity of the contractures, Nelson is unable stand up straight, and he must use his hands to walk. Although Nelson has adapted and become very agile using all four limbs, he faces significant obstacles in his everyday life.

After his initial assessment, Dr. Bruce, the previous head of the patient referral program, believed that the contractures in Nelson’s legs were due to a folic acid deficiency in his mother during pregnancy. Folic acid deficiency during pregnancy commonly leads to birth defects with the most frequent being spina bifida and other growth problems.

Next Steps

Nelson had an initial consultation with an ophthalmologist who confirmed he has congenital cataracts in both eyes and needs a surgery to remove the cataracts and implant new lenses.

Nelson also meet with a pediatric orthopedic surgeon to determine what could be done to correct the contractures in his legs. The doctor said that his right leg could be straightened by resetting his bones and installing metal rods in his leg and foot. His left leg is unable to be corrected, but the doctor suggested using a prosthetic, which will allow his right leg to stand upright.

Nelson’s final consultation was with a plastic surgeon about his cleft palette. Upon further examination it was discovered that Nelson needs significant dental surgery. Nelson was able to have the frenum of his tongue (the portion of connective tissue connecting his tongue to his lower jaw) repaired during the visit, which will significantly improve his ability to speak.

Call to Action

The patient referral team is very hopeful that Nelson can greatly improve his quality of life through these procedures! Please consider donating to help Nelson improve his quality of life through various interventions. Our goal is to raise $3,500 to assist Nelson.

Update

We would like to give a very big thank you to Dr. and Mrs. Butler from Pittsburg who were crucial in this treatment and accompanied Nelson on his initial consultation!

Background

AGE: 19
COMMUNITY: Teupasenti
DIAGNOSTIC: Lipomeningocele, severe equino-cavus deformity of the foot

We met Kellin on a Medical Brigade to Teupasenti in July 2015 and learned of a few pressing health concerns that made her a good candidate for the Patient Referral Program. She was diagnosed with lipomeningocele, a neural tube defect. She also has severe equino-cavus deformity of the foot and a potential chronic osteomyelitis (an infection of a bone).

Next Steps

We had the opportunity to accompany Kellin to an appointment with a specialist. The only option for her is surgery, but she has not yet had x-rays for the doctors to get a better idea of the course of action.

Call to Action

Kellin will eventually need a surgery on her feet, but she needs an x-ray first. We are seeking to raise $5,000 for Kellin’s care.

Update

We have already raised the funds for Kellin’s x-ray. We are still working to raise additional funds for Kellin’s future surgery. Please consider donating today to help Kellin receive the surgery she needs.

Background

AGE: 2
COMMUNITY: Santa Cruz
DIAGNOSIS: Unknown

Rosela is a 2 year old girl who was brought to a medical brigade in Santa Cruz in March 2016.

Next Steps

We are awaiting a visit from our team to determine the next steps with this patient.

Call to Action

Please consider donating to Rosela to help us reach the goal of $500 for her medical care.

Background

AGE: 2 years
COMMUNITY: Quebrachos, Santa Rosa Guinope
DIAGNOSTIC: Lipoma

Exon is a cute little boy from Quebrachos. He went to a medical brigade in Santa Rosa Guinope a community located approximately 2 hours away from Tegucigalpa, but Quebrachos, the community where he lives, is farther away. People walk to get to other places and they only have a bus service that works only early morning. they don’t have a health center or nurse in the community. For these reasons, people like Exon and his family walk long distances whenever they find out there is a medical brigade nearby.
The brigade took place in March 2017, when Exon was evaluated by the doctors in one of the consult stations. A doctor discovered he has had a lipoma of 3 centimeters on his back for 2 years already, it doesn’t cause him pain, but it is growing rapidly.

Next Steps

Thanks to Mount Allison University we are going to be able to take him to the surgeon and decide if he need the surgical procedure. They have donated $165 towards his medical care already! Exon has been receiving treatment in the nearby hospital in Talanga. His initial visits showed that he would not need surgery, but he had a follow-up visit in November 2017 to verify.

Call to Action

Exon is in need of additional medical care for his condition. We are seeking $100 in donations to assist Exon to cover medical costs.

Update

In November of 2017 we learned that Exon is a good candidate for surgery to remove the lipoma on his back. We are still fundraising for Exon!

Background

AGE: 93
COMMUNITY: La Corneta, Matagalpa, Nicaragua
DIAGNOSTIC: Patient is diabetic and suffered a stroke in February 2012. The stroke caused paralysis of the left side of his body and he has been bed ridden since February 2012.

Next Steps

Segundo still has spastic reflexes on the sole of the left foot, patella, and biceps on the left side of the body. Therefore, his condition would improve with physical therapy. Currently, three family members have to help lift him when they bathe or transport Segundo out of bed. A mechanical patient lift would significantly help his family when transporting Segundo out of bed.

Call to Action

Please consider donating to help us reach our goal of $1000 to provide physical rehabilitation and a mechanical patient lift to help the family transport Segundo.

Background

COMMUNITY: Mezcales, Catarranas
DIAGNOSTIC: Type 1 Diabetes

During a Community Health Worker visit, we met the Barahona – Alonso family. They live in the community of Mezcales, Cantarranas a community that is located about an hour away from Tegucigalpa. It has limited access, and there is no public transportation in this area. People living here must walk long distances to catch a bus, buy groceries, or seek medical attention.

When we were going to their home, the difficult access to the community was evident. We saw that there were almost no houses or any other buildings. They live in a small house that is still under construction and has no doors, windows, light, or water. It hasn’t been possible for them to finish the house because they don’t have the money to do so.

There are nine family members living in the house, four of them are kids who are currently in school. Only two of the adults work in agriculture or other minor jobs they can find in the area, and the rest of the family members have to stay home because of their medical condition.

Four members of this family have been diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. They have to visit the doctor for follow up and get medications for each month. Sometimes they don’t have the money to pay for their transportation, so they can’t make it to the consult. Luckily for them they receive medication from the public hospital, but, whenever there is no medication at the hospital they have to buy it at a pharmacy. Insulin needs to be stored in a refrigerator, but they don’t even have electricity at their home so they store it in a clay vase with a little bit of ice.

Next Steps

It is our wish and desire to help this family, improve their living conditions. The Global Brigades staff is already working on this case, talking with other organizations and the city mayor. Our priority is getting electricity and water for them, and they also need urgently a refrigerator. The funds we raise for this case will be used for their house.

Call to Action

Please consider donating to help the Barahona – Alonso family create a healthy living environment.

Background

AGE: 5 years
COMMUNITY: Suyapa, Cantarranas
DIAGNOSTIC: Imperforate Anus

Steven was born with a congenital malformation from his heart, kidney and intestines. Since he was little, he’s been visiting various doctors and receiving all types of medications and surgeries.
Despite of his medical condition he looks like a healthy kid, he goes to school, does well in his classes, and plays a lot with his friends.

One of the medical conditions that bothers him the most is having an imperforate anus; therefore, a colostomy was needed in order for his fecal matter to come out. It’s been hard for his mom, and since they don’t have enough income to buy colostomy bags, they have been using t-shirts, towels or paper towel instead of using the colostomy bags.

Next Steps

We want to help Steven’s mom fundraise in order to buy these colostomy bags. Steven needs to have his colostomy bag changed every 2-3 days, so we are hoping to fundraise in order to provide at least 100 bags as well as adhesive and cleaning wipes to last Steven approximately one year.

Call to Action

Please consider donating for Steven’s colostomy bags to help improve his quality of medical care. Our initial goal for Steven’s case is $200.

Background

AGE: 18
COMMUNITY: Santa Rosa
DIAGNOSTIC: Club Foot / Congenital Equinovarus

Edgar, 18, lives in small house with his mother, father and siblings in Santa Rosa. They all help around with house chores. His dad and older brothers are the ones who work on agriculture and support the rest of the family with food and basic needs. Edgar tries to help as much as he can but because of his medical condition there are certain activities that he is not able to partake in. Edgar was born with this condition, and because his parents don´t have the money, he didn´t receive treatment at an early age. People in the community know him and say he is shy but kind, and whenever they see him walking on the street, they try to help him, because he mainly walks with his knees.

Next Steps

Edgar went to the medical brigade wanting a checkup, some vitamins, and painkillers, but the doctors who saw him decided to evaluate his case a little bit more. They asked for more information about his medical history and determined to refer him to the public hospital and Global Brigades’ referral program.

Call to Action

We want to help Edgar walk normally and to help him do the many things he wants to do, especially to help his dad and brother work on agriculture. To accomplish this goal, we are seeking $1,000 in donations.

Background

AGE: 23
COMMUNITY: El Espinito
DIAGNOSTIC: Cerebral Palsy

Yosselin is 23 years old from El Espinito who has been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy since birth. She also is paralyzed in both legs, has tremors in her arms, and has problems with talking, swallowing, and coordination.

Next Steps

Her fundraising goal is set to $205 purchase her a proper bed to sleep on to help her be more comfortable with her condition.

Call to Action

Consider donating today to help Yosselin receive a mattress.

Update

A big thanks to DePaul University who raised funds to purchase a bed for Yosselin. The mattress was delivered during the 2017 Honduras Leadership Institute.

Background

AGE: 9
COMMUNITY: El Naranjal
DIAGNOSTIC: Congenital scoliosis

We visited Ruben, 9, in his house in El Naranjal where GB had a medical brigade. Ruben lives with his mother and his two siblings. His father isn’t currently living with his mother, but he tries to support them economically because his mom doesn´t work. He goes to school nearby his house. Ruben is in fourth grade and is a straight-A student.

Next Steps

His mom took him to the medical brigade because of his back deformity. He was born this way, and because of the lack of economical resources, he hasn´t been able to go to a doctor or get x-rays. Ruben has a medical condition called congenital scoliosis and needs further examination by an orthopedic surgeon who will decide what type of treatment he needs.

Call to Action

Ruben is a small kid, but conscious of his deformity, especially because kids at school bully him, making him feel self-conscious about his condition. Let’s help him improve his medical condition by fundraising $400 together!

Background

AGE: 7
COMMUNITY: Suyapa
DIAGNOSIS: Hearing loss

Claudia is a playful and happy 7-year-old girl. She has 4 siblings, and they all live at the same house with their mom and dad. Her dad is an army soldier and serves our country. Because of this, he often spends long periods of time away from home, but he provides for all family needs.

Next Steps

Claudia visited the medical brigade with her mom hoping they would find a treatment for her medical condition. She was born with a hearing problem which was detected before she was 2 years old. Her parents took her to the ENT.

Call to Action

We want to fundraise $1,000, so we can buy her hearing aids, which will improve her hearing. Step by step with the help of family and therapy, we hope Claudia will be able to speak later in life.

Background

AGE: 22
COMMUNITY: Higuerito, Cedros
DIAGNOSTIC: Hydrocephaly, spina bifida

Angy was born with hydrocephaly and spina bifida.

Next Steps

We are helping her get a new wheelchair.

Call to Action

Please consider donating to help us reach our goal of $300 for Angy’s new wheelchair.

Background

AGE: 9
COMMUNITY: Los Terrones
DIAGNOSTIC: Unknown

Vivi Gissell is a sweet 9-year old girl found on a medical brigade in Los Terrones. She went to the brigade looking for some vitamins and a checkup for her eyes. According to her mother, when Vivi was younger her mother put some eye drops in her eyes and from that moment she started having problems.

Next Steps

We still don’t have a diagnosis for Vivi, but there is an obvious problem in her eyes. We want to take her to the ophthalmologist so they can determine a diagnostic and possible treatment.

Call to Action

Please consider donating today to help Vivi visit the opthamologist and receive treatment. We hope to fundraise $200 for Vivi’s medical care.

Background

AGE: 16
COMMUNITY: Los Guasimos, Apali.
DIAGNOSTIC: Osteogenesis Imperfecta

Rosi Belinda Espina is 16 years old from the community of Los Guasimos, Apali. Rosi was born with a medical condition called Osteogenesis Imperfecta, which is characterized by bones that break easily from little or no apparent cause. Rosi attended a medical brigade in Los Guasimos with her mom. To get to the brigade, her mom was riding a bike with Rosi. This isn’t a safe way of traveling, especially considering Rosi’s fragile bones.

Next Steps

We want to help Rosi’s mom get a new wheelchair for her daughter, which is going to reduce the risk of an accident while riding a bike.

Call to Action

Please consider donating to help us reach our goal of $300 for Rosi’s new wheelchair.

Update

Rosi was able to get a wheelchair thanks to the University of Toronto’s medical brigade in August 2016. Her funds will be re-allocated to help other Patient Referral Cases. Thank you to her donors!