Jhoana is a 17-year-old residing in Cabo San Lucas and the eldest of three siblings, underwent a life-altering experience at the age of 13. She tells us “I was going to junior high as usual, but I noticed I was starting to feel tired and I had bruises, but since I played with my siblings often, I told my parents that I got the bruises playing with them. I was afraid to tell my parents because I didn’t want to give them problems.” Jhoana’s parents noticed changes in her that alerted them and they decided to take her to the doctor. After a series of studies, she was admitted to the General Hospital of Cabo San Lucas and was later transferred to Salvatierra Hospital in the city of La Paz.
Angel, Jhoana’s father, remembers what he thought at the moment before the hospitalization: “I have to do something, my daughter is going to need a treatment like this and it is very expensive! I was already offering my house to my friends, to get money. I have a permit to work on the beach, I was also selling it, I tried to get what I could, as quickly as possible, because her treatment couldn’t wait.”
At Salvatierra, Jhoana underwent comprehensive tests that confirmed the doctors’ concerns. Her mother, Rosa, remembers “On February 11, they transferred her to pediatrics, the next day it was my birthday and my daughter was undergoing a bone marrow aspiration, and a day later they gave me the news that my daughter had leukemia, for me cancer meant death, it was the worst.”
The proximity of Salvatierra Hospital to their home made a substantial difference for Jhoana and her family. Angel shares what his first months were like during her treatment: “They told us three years and that we were going to have to make many changes. I had to be here with my other two children, take them to school, go to work for 2 or 3 hours and on weekends I would go to La Paz for three days. That’s how we endured this process, because my daughter was hospitalized without being able to leave the hospital for the first three months, without being able to leave the room where she arrived, and until five months later they allowed her to return home.” Casa Valentina became a great support for Jhoana’s family. It was the place that allowed Angel to visit his daughter every week, since it provided lodging and food at no cost, in addition to psychological support that helped them to overcome moments of crisis during Jhoana’s treatment.
For Jhoana, entering Salvatierra Hospital marked a pivotal moment in her life, since once diagnosed and already in treatment, the doctors noticed that she also had a congenital heart defect. This discovery meant that both teams from Salvatierra Hospital, the Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Unit and the State Pediatric Cardiology Program, met to determine the direction of Jhoana’s treatment. The decision was made to continue the leukemia treatment and, once completed, program a corrective procedure for the heart condition, which took place in April 2023.
After 120 sessions of chemotherapy, a year of surveillance and a cardiac catheterization, Jhoana dreams of being a veterinarian and remembers how the idea of returning home to her family and her pets motivated her during her hospitalization. This inspires her to contribute to civil society for the well-being of animals in need. The unwavering love from her family and the constant support from her community and compassionate individuals like you gave Jhoana the opportunity to achieve her dreams.