Ever stands next to Dr. Jair Marquez Freitas, Cardiologist, Medical director of
Emergency Services and Medical Director of General Medicine ICU at the Regional
Hospital for Loreto, Peru.
Ever has been released from the medical care of the Ministry of Health and APECA has completed their efforts to seek assistance for Ever and his family. We want to thank the many people who contributed generously for Ever’s treatment and care as it is through your kind generosity that APECA was able to facilitate this life saving treatment. An account has been set up with the remainder of the funds contributed for Ever’s care. This account will be utilized by APECA Peru for other children in similar situations.
APECA Inc. is a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that relies entirely on the generosity of private donors. Our work is funded by gifts from supporters who care about our work and support our mission. We encourage you to become involved through your tax-deductible gift. Click here for instructions about how to donate to APECA, Inc.
The First Part of His Story...
Ever, A Brave Child in the
Face of Tremendous Adversity
On November 8, 2005, during a Dental and Medical Care Expedition near San Martin, sponsored jointly by APECA Peru and Healing The Children North East (www.htcne.org), Ever’s mother brought her son’s case to the attention of the Team. He had a tumor the size of two large eggs protruding from the top of his head.
The Team recognized that Ever’s condition required attention beyond what they were able to do in the field so Ever was referred to the Iquitos Hospital. APECA Peru made arrangements for Ever and his grandmother to be transferred to Iquitos, a sizable city about five hours away from San Martin. After several pre-surgical tests, the tumor was found to be malignant which necessitated urgent surgery.
Ever is 10 years old and lives in San Martin, a small village on the Tahuyo River, very close to the point where this river flows into the Amazon River. Ever has been raised by his grandparents, with whom he still lives. His family is a very humble family who are unable to cope with the financial aspects of his medical needs. A photographer who was traveling with the Dental and Medical Care Team took a special interest in Ever and has been instrumental in assuring that Ever has the funding for the care that he needs.
The Executive Director of APECA, Gina Low, has stepped up to facilitate all phases of his care. Ms. Low has spent many hours with Ever and his grandmother as they navigate the medical system which was is so foreign to them. She has spent hours in clinics with the family and then waited those stressful hours while the child was in surgery. Ms. Low is currently assisting the family during the post-surgical period while Ever is still hospitalized and will be there to see that he is cared for when he is finally released to return to his village. They are waiting for the final reports from the pathologist and an evaluation for a graft at the surgical site. Ever is recovering nicely from the tumor removal.
As APECA conducts their mission in the field the teams are confronted all too frequently with situations like Ever’s although not always so dire. “We have been working for over ten years to build trust with these villagers, it isn’t possible to turn our backs and walk away from these problems. This is not part of APECA’s defined mission, yet we feel compelled to do something” says Gina Low. APECA Inc., has allocated a portion of their budget to support the Director’s ability to be able to aid children and families in these situations by helping them to find public assistance if it’s available, helping them to navigate through the system and, of course, providing personal comfort and care.
Please help support APECA, their mission and children like Ever by mailing a donation to our offices:
APECA Inc.
21338 Dumetz Rd.
Woodland Hills, CA USA 91364
You can also donate on line at apecaperu.org through Network for Good.
Thank you for your generosity.
