Pan American Health Service's Blog

In the Bible, Jesus asks: “ Which of you knowing your children are hungry and asking for bread would give them a stone instead?” He goes on to point out that if people who are imperfect know how to give good things to their children Read the rest of this entry »

“I like to walk ´chuña´ (barefoot), that´s why I don´t use my shoes”, says Cristian, while a shy smile is shown in his face, but the true reason by which he prefers to be barefoot, is because his shoes are uncomfortable to him. This is the third time that Christian is received in Pan American Health Service. The first of them was exactly six years ago, when he was only nine months old. Severely undernourished, he spent three months in rehabilitation, during that time he recovered successfully. At the end of the treatment, his parents decided to take him back home. However, about six months of leaving PAHS, Cristian returned again undernourished, the causes were unknown. His parents simply did not have an explanation for the relapse of the boy, he was admitted back into the institution, and spent a few months in which managed to regain his health again.

Although he managed to overcome malnutrition, maintaining a normal weight, we noticed a serious problem for Cristian, who was about to turn two years old and still could not walk. He suffered a small distortion on his feet. Some physiotherapists, who visited us from the United States, gave him some therapies that helped him to take more strength in his feet, and with the use of orthopedic shoes Cristian finally gave his first steps. Finally, we received help from an orthopedist, who diagnosed a condition called ´talo verticalizado´, which is a malformation in his heels. Now, for the third time, Christian is back in PAHS, as in the desire to help the child we are taking the necessary steps in order that he could take part in a surgery to correct his problem. He walks with difficulty, but thanks to God because he no remains prostrate, he is a hyperactive child, who despite his problem knows how to enjoy life. Cristian has a big family, with nine brothers, his family has to work very hard to put the bread on their table. The youngest sister is just a three months old baby, that just like Cristian when he was a baby, is suffering from malnutrition.

Unfortunately, this is the state of many babies who reach the world directly to face the jaws of death, and the famine that plagues our country, Honduras, especially in southern area is one of the roots of the disease. Meanwhile, we pray to God that every one of our children can recover his health soon, and do not miss the food at their table, and also pray for Cristian´s, hoping that he could soon be able to walk normally. Read the rest of this entry »