CAMTA Patients: The heart of the mission

Why do many CAMTA team members feel compelled to return to Ecuador time and again? The patient are really the reason why nearly 100 individuals commit to this medical mission every year. They come from far and wide round Ecuador, each with a unique story looking to CAMTA as their only, and sometimes last hope, to lead a relatively pain-free normal life. Their ages range from young babies to octogenarians and every age group in between.

Our youngest patient: 2 years old

Our oldest patient: 87 years old.

Most of the patients live below the poverty line and could never afford the monumental costs of having these corrective surgeries. CAMTA team members volunteer their time and skills to go to Ecuador to perform the surgeries at no or very little cost to the patients. The hospital's social worker determines the economic status of each potential patient long before the team arrives. Those who are very poor get the surgery at zero cost to them. A few well to do patients are required to cover a small portion of the costs, for example, the cost of obtaining blood for transfusion post surgery.

Here are some of their stories...

ALFREDO

Remember Young Alfredo from my first blog? On Thursday Feb 28, he turned up bright and early for his surgery with his loving mother by his side, very anxious about the surgery. His 4 year old mind somehow knew what was about to happen. He was so anxious that he threw up several times, recoiling from the nurses and doctors and crying hysterically as they attempted to insert an IV into his arm. Bloodwork had to be done to ensure the vomiting was not as a result of an infection or illness in which case the surgery would have to be postponed. It turned out to be just a bad case of nerves...understandably so.

Alfredo suffered from a rare condition called Congenital Vertical Talus, where the Talus bone (the lower part of the ankle bone) is in a vertical position and the other bones have positioned themselves above the talus creating an outward facing arch in his foot. His case was quite complicated and the surgery took over 6 hours to complete, much longer than the medical team anticipated.

Alfredo when we first met him on clinic day. His right foot was deformed from birth and was corrected by the surgery.

On the day of the surgery, Alfredo was full of trepidation and uncertainty as nurses and doctors prepare him for the operation The sea of strangers in blue scrubs did little to make him feel at ease.

 Alfredo's surgery went very well. Once completely healed, he will walk as normal as any other child. He little life has been changed forever.

NANCY

Nancy Bendon Bautista is a woman's rights activist in Ecuador. She works hard on causes that help liberate Ecuadorian women from oppression. In addition, Nancy and her husband also run a school for 7-25 year olds, teaching them ethical farming, environmental responsibility, self sufficiency and how to diversify their crops and increase income.

At around 12 yeas of age, Nancy fell off the cliff side of her home effectively changing the trajectory of her life. The fall is thought to have cracked her hip and she has lived in pain since. To manage the pain, Nancy sought massage services for many years from a local masseuse. She had very little trust in the medical system and very limited financial resources to even hope for surgery that would improve the quality of her life. Until CAMTA came along.

Nancy was the first adult surgery that was performed by team two. She underwent a successful Total Hip Replacement (THR) and was discharged the very next day. Nancy's gratitude deeply moved the team. Nancy told us, "With the work CAMTA does and the love CAMTA gives, I believe there is hope. I will tell the women who have been through a hard time that there is always hope."

An emotional Nancy after surgery

Nancy gets a personal visit from the Canadian Ambassador to Ecuador, Sylvie Bedard.

Nancy with one of her daughters in an emotional moment after the surgery.

Nancy's daughter just finished her residency and is now a General Practitioner who 

teaches health and HIV prevention at the school run by her parents.

Nancy with a group of nurses and physiotherapists. Patients must pass certain 

physio exercises before being discharged. Nancy passed with flying colours and was 

sent home the day after her surgery.

A renewed Nancy getting discharged, ready to take on more of the world 

in her fight for women's rights. I am certain she will be unstoppable!

ALEX

Alex Milan had a bilateral adductor release performed on him. Alex has Cerebral Palsy which affects his muscles, creating constantly contracted muscles with limited range of motion and function. This release will allow him to sit, stand and possibly walk in the future.

ESTELOYN

Esteylon is 13-year-old boy who received a below-knee amputation from the CAMTA team this year. Esteylon was born with amniotic banding leading to the loss of feeling in his leg, where cuts would often go unnoticed leading to a bone infection. This young man came back to CAMTA 5 days post amputation. He is looking forward to receiving his prosthetic leg from Canada once he is strong enough to wear it. Esteylon is a brave young man who understands that the loss of his leg will not hold him back. He looks forward to playing soccer again.

The above patients are but a few of the many lives that CAMTA touches every year. Their stories are diverse but they all have one thing in common, their lives are changed forever! I hope their stories inspire you.

Sincerely,

Sandra

Fun fact: The Galapagos which belong to Ecuador are the first ever UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Ecuadorian government designated nearly 98% of the islands as National Park back in 1959. The islands are located some 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) off the coast of Ecuador.

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