In May of last year, Medardo Arguijo Carranza attended a Medical Brigade in the community of Yamaguare in Honduras. Medardo has suffered with Parkinson’s disease (a degenerative disease of the central nervous system) for the past six years, but has been unable to afford any medical treatment.Medardo came to the brigade with his entire family in very poor condition: he was frail, shaking, and completely dependent on his family to do even the simplest of tasks like getting out of bed or using the bathroom.
Every night after the brigade, students and doctors debriefed at the compounds and everyone was particularly moved by this case. It was touching to see how the Honduran culture embraces family and the effort everyone put into caring for Medardo. It was also difficult to see the clear impact and stress this disease has had on both Medardo’s adult children and grandchildren with whom he lives. Everyone in the family must pitch in to care for Medardo, and his loss of motor skills poses a real threat of potential injury both to Medardo and the family members (including small grandchildren) who must help him around.
Medical Brigades Director Dr. Jenny and Thomas Young, a Physicians Assistant with the brigade group from UC Berkeley, set about trying to find the patient Parkinson’s medicine that would help control his tremors. Through generous donations, Medardo has received some medicine over the course of the past 8 months, greatly improving his motor control and quality of life for both him and the extended family. These donations of medicine, however, have been inconsistent–only taking place when a brigade is coming down to Honduras or a pharmacy can make a donation.
We are launching this campaign so that we can make sure Medardo never has to suffer from a lapse in medicine again. For only $800, we can guarantee that Medardo will receive the medicine that he desperately needs for an entire year! This medicine will not only help Medardo gain mobility, ensure greater independence, and restore Medardo’s dignity in being able to care for himself, but will also positively impact the entire family he lives with. Without this medicine, Medardo will suffer from continued deterioration and debilitation, including increased shaking and loss of motor control, putting him and his family at higher risk for injury.
While on medicine, his family has reported that Medardo is able to walk around, perform basic self-care tasks, hold conversations, and interact with the family. The medicine also clearly contributes to a greater sense of self-pride, dignity, and emotional well-being for both the patient and the entire family. Please help us in restoring dignity and mobility to Medardo, and in easing the burden for his entire family by making a contribution today. Even $10 will go a long way in ensuring that Medardo receives continuous medical treatment.
Notice: All funds raised from this fundraiser are intended for use to treat the patient highlighted in this profile. In the event that Global Brigades, Inc. is able to arrange treatment at a preferable rate or secure a pro-bono donation of treatment services, the remaining funds raised from this fundraiser will be pooled into our Patient Referral Program General Fund, where they will go directly to treat other patients. Please express your concern would this practice be disagreeable or if you wish to receive a notice at occurrence.
