Maria, who has been hosted for a year in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, was flown back to Guatemala last week and returned to her mother. It was a tearful and emotional reunion of Juana and her only child.
Juana discovered Children of the Americas in 2006 when she first brought her daughter to our doctors seeking help for Maria's many congenital deformities. For five years Maria had a colostomy which was difficult for Juana to care for and to find supplies to care for. COTA supplied colostomy bags for this family over the last few years, but we were not able to perform the required surgery in Guatemala.
Following a successful year of care, surgery, immunizations, bowel training and dental care, Maria returned to her mother as a healthy little girl. Her foster parents flew her home to Guatemala and were able to relate to her mother the details of Maria's care. Aida, our Guatemalan coordinator, will oversee the details of a successful transition.
COTA is very fortunate to have volunteers committed to the needs of our pediatric surgery patients.
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Twenty Years of COTA: Perspective and Memories from Warren Brandwine
My first COTA mission to Peten was in January, 2000. We flew up to San Benito in a surplus C-130 with the door held on with ...
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My first COTA mission to Peten was in January, 2000. We flew up to San Benito in a surplus C-130 with the door held on with ...
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Bobby Edwards recently stepped down from our Children of the Americas board. Leaving the board is not the equivalent of leaving the org...
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