PERU – At first, it was hardly noticeable—just a suspicion that things weren’t quite right. Nothing that meant her symptoms were anything more than the subtle signs of aging, Juana assured herself.
And, in the absence of medical care in her remote community in Peru, Juana chose to ignore it. “Many times, due to the limited resources we have, we cannot go to the city to receive medical care,” she told us. So she never had a medical professional she could voice her concerns to.
Living in the close-knit but poverty-stricken community of San José, Juana and her husband are hardworking and stoic. Juana’s days are dedicated to caring for her household and supporting her husband, who works tirelessly to provide for their needs.
But her symptoms grew worse, which troubled the usually resilient woman. When she heard that an Operation Blessing medical brigade was coming to San José, she immediately planned to attend. Finally, Juana realized, she’d be able to tell a medical professional about her symptoms—and find out what was wrong. This was a pleasant alternative to daily life in the absence of medical care in San José, Peru.
Thanks to friends like you, our front-line health promoters journey to remote villages where medical care is hard to reach—bringing vital help and information to those in need. In so many poor, rural communities, these volunteers provide lifesaving basic care to local families for injuries, illness, pregnancy, and more.
And that’s exactly what happened with Juana because of your love and care. After medical tests were performed, she was surprised to learn the cause of her symptoms: diabetes. The condition could have been life-threatening if it had gone undetected. Thankful for the support you helped provide, Juana embarked on a journey to wellness—armed with medication, advice, and a newfound awareness of her health.
Juana was so grateful to finally have answers. “Fortunately, I was able to come today to participate in the medical brigade because I was already feeling some discomfort,” she told us. “Thank God this medical brigade was carried out in my community!”
And thank you for providing vital medical care to people in need.
