One Surgery Fixes Two Decades of Pain
Recently, more than 100 men, women, and children received life-changing surgeries during our annual surgical trip to Comayagua. Patients made lengthy, sometimes 12-hour, trips from all over central Honduras to receive free medical care that they otherwise would not have been able to afford.
In preparation for this tremendous undertaking, Nelson Martinez, Director of Operations for the Brigade, collaborates with our community health workers to identify those who most need surgery. On one of these occasions last year, Antonia, a volunteer at our Los Planos rural health clinic, got to know Maria, a senior citizen from a nearby village.
During her checkup, Antonia discovered that Maria had been living with a debilitating hernia for over two decades. "I couldn't even walk. I was not in a good state," Maria said. She was in tremendous pain and desperately needed more medical care but couldn't afford the expensive surgery – let alone the long ride down into the city. In response, the Brigade arranged for Maria to travel to Centro Médico San Benito Jose (SBJ) for a pre-surgical exam and, later, the surgery she'd needed for 26 years.
"They had me go to San Benito. So in the name of God, I went. When I got there, I saw a saint and I felt reassured that I would be ok. At San Benito, they have the best of the best. They give exceptional care to us, the impoverished. They aren't judgmental. They work with us and help us.
I am so grateful to the Brigade that they took the time to give me care... I thank God that the Brigade comes here to serve the poor people in the community. I have very few words, but they are blessed."
Although our medical teams only travel to Comayagua twice each year, the care they provide empowers healthy families and communities for generations. Thanks to the Brigade’s generous supporters, over 2,000 Hondurans have already received surgeries.
Yet, Maria's experience is typical of many others who are still waiting for medical treatment. Surgery backlogs in Honduras are at their highest level in a decade. The Brigade is working to rise to this challenge, with plans already underway for our next trip. No one should have to endure pain for over two decades. Maria's story serves as a powerful reminder of the profound impact each of us can have by encouraging improved healthcare access for those who most need it.