Operation Walk Pittsburgh Update #8: Friday, August 28, 2009

Santo Hermano Pedro hospital staff

Although we could not help everyone, we have accomplished much this week.  We would like to leave you with a patient's story.

Julio's Story

Julio was diagnosed with leukemia at age 14.  He had a bone marrow transplant and was treated with high doses of steroids.  He is now 24 and cancer-free.  The side effects of his cancer treatment affected his knee joints as the steroids destroyed the cartilage between his knee bones. He has been in pain for the last eight years with increasing limits in his activity.

Julio told us that his family could not afford the joint replacement operation and that even if they could, he thought he would die in the hospital.  His neighbor had a knee replacement at Santo Hermano Pedro Hospital.  She showed Julio's family her new knee and told them about "the best doctors in the world" who have come here to operate.

Julio told us his story in the hospital:

I was so scared the day of surgery.  My heart just went beat, beat, beat, beat.  Dr. Tony talked to me that morning and made me calm, and my heart started to beat normally again.  I told the anesthesia doctor to give me something so I would not have to see the surgery, and the next thing I knew, I was awake with my new knee.

Because I can speak English and most of the others here cannot, I would like to thank all of you for helping me and my people.  I'm sorry, this makes me cry, but I have so much thanks in my heart for all of you.

Soon I will be able to play soccer with my friends and dance with the girls.

Gracias!!!!

And as you can see from the photo of Julio, he is quite the ladies' man!