Read CAMO IN FOCUS NOV – DEC 2025
In 2003, when many had lost hope, CAMO chose to believe. To believe in a forgotten space, in worn-down walls, and in a gym where no one else saw a future. CAMO saw something different: a place where thousands of children could dream, grow, and learn to persevere through sports.
During the recent holiday season, five patients in Honduras received an invaluable gift: the ability to hear. For families living in extreme poverty, this simple miracle transformed daily life and filled the end of the year with renewed hope.
José Vicente Torres (69), Cinthya Marilin Prado (25), Jonny Antonio Tróchez (21), Karen Michel Tróchez (16), and Brayan Jariel Lanza (8) had lived for years with severe hearing loss, some in complete silence. Despite the challenges, they pushed forward, navigating school, work, and relationships without hearing—because for them, hearing aids were far beyond reach.
In Honduras, where many families struggle to meet basic needs like food and shelter, investing in health care often becomes an impossible luxury. For people facing hunger, survival comes first, and medical devices such as hearing aids remain an unattainable dream.When Compassion Meets Need
Just when hope seems distant, compassion finds a way. Through CAMO, acts of generosity turned into life-changing moments.
Helene Levenfus, an audiologist from Ohio, shared that she had heard about CAMO for many years. It wasn’t until her retirement, however, that she felt called to travel to Honduras as a volunteer. Deeply moved by the patients’ needs, Helen made the heartfelt decision to donate hearing aids to those who needed them most.
She traveled to Honduras during CAMO’s October 2025 medical brigade, where she not only provided her professional expertise, but also evaluated patients and trained staff from Social Investment (INSSA), a CAMO initiative designed to generate sustainable resources and expand access to hearing care across the country.A Holiday Filled With Sound and Joy
Helene personally ensured that each patient received hearing aids tailored to their specific needs. Through INSSA, the devices were donated, allowing these five patients to experience something many had lost—or never known at all.
As the year came to an end, they celebrated the holidays with a gift that cannot be wrapped: the sound of voices, laughter, and life itself.
For them, this was more than medical care.
It was the gift of hearing—and the reminder that they are not forgotten.
MEMORIA ANUAL 2024 – 2025
Este año, CAMO reforzó sus servicios médicos generales mediante brigadas especializadas, nuevo equipamiento y programas de atención ampliados, llevando cuidado esencial por todo Honduras. En febrero de 2025, se lanzó el Servicio de Neurología Pediátrica, atendiendo a 137 niños el único de este tipo disponible para familias de bajos recursos en el occidente del país.
Read CAMO Annual Report
From May 2024 to April 2025, CAMO—alongside its volunteers and partners—provided 217,767 medical services to individuals in need across Honduras.
Through 151 brigades, including medical, dental, general medicine with EKG, nutrition, women’s care, ophthalmology, otorhinolaryngology, and mammography brigades, 12,464 patients received comprehensive care and health education.
Del dolor y el cáncer, a una nueva oportunidad para Dilcia
A sus 14 años, Dilcia Muñoz Mateo ha enfrentado más dolor del que cualquier niña debería vivir. Todo comenzó cuando una fractura mal tratada reveló una noticia devastadora: tenía cáncer en su pie.
Luego vino la amputación, las quimioterapias y la obligación de dejar la escuela. La enfermedad detuvo su vida y la esperanza pareció desvanecerse.
Dilcia vive en una comunidad de San Andrés, Lempira, en la frontera con El Salvador. Allí recibió tratamiento y logró vencer el cáncer. Sin embargo, para recuperar su movilidad necesitaba una prótesis cuyo costo era imposible de cubrir.
Pero cuando parecía haber llegado al final del camino, llegó CAMO.
Gracias al apoyo de Fundación FAKS y CAMO, Dilcia recibió la prótesis que transformó su historia. Ese día volvió a ponerse de pie, a moverse, a soñar.
Hoy quiere regresar a la escuela, y sueña con convertirse en doctora para ayudar a otros como ella.Enoc: cuatro años de espera para dar sus primeros pasos
La historia de Enoc Timoteo Pita es también la historia de una madre que esperó cuatro años para ver a su hijo caminar.
Enoc nació en La Mosquitia hondureña con una malformación genética que le impedía caminar. Hace unos meses, los médicos realizaron una amputación para que pudiera usar una prótesis.
Gracias al apoyo de Fundación FAKS y CAMO, Enoc recibió esa prótesis que cambió todo.
El día que caminó por primera vez, su madre lloró de alegría. Su sueño se había cumplido: ver a su hijo caminar.
Hoy, Enoc ama pintar y sueña con convertirse en militar. Ahora, por fin, tiene la libertad de caminar hacia su futuro.
At just 14 years old, Dilcia Muñoz Mateo has faced more pain than any child should endure. It all began with a poorly treated fracture that revealed devastating news: she had cancer in her foot.
What followed was an amputation, chemotherapy, and the painful decision to leave school. The disease put her life on hold, and hope seemed to disappear.
Dilcia lives in a rural community in San Andrés, Lempira, near the border with El Salvador. There, she received treatment and managed to overcome cancer. However, to regain her mobility, she needed a prosthetic leg — a cost her family could not afford.
When everything seemed lost, CAMO arrived.
Thanks to the support of FAKS Foundation and CAMO, Dilcia received the prosthetic that transformed her life. That day, she stood up again, moved again, and dared to dream again.
Today, she wants to return to school and dreams of becoming a doctor to help others like her.
Enoc Timoteo Pita’s story is also the story of a mother who waited four years to see her son walk.
Enoc was born in the Honduran region of La Mosquitia with a genetic malformation that prevented him from walking. Months ago, doctors performed an amputation so he could use a prosthetic.
Thanks to the support of FAKS Foundation and CAMO, Enoc received the prosthetic that changed everything.
The day he walked for the first time, his mother cried with joy. Her dream came true: seeing her son walk.
Today, Enoc loves painting and dreams of becoming a soldier. Now, at last, he has the freedom to walk toward his future.
Gracias a la cirugía de columna de CAMO en Honduras, Jorge Alberto Romero Herrera, originario de El Progreso, Yoro, recuperó su movilidad después de meses de parálisis.
Ingeniero industrial de profesión, Jorge migró a Estados Unidos, donde trabajó durante 15 años, pero su corazón siempre estuvo en casa. Volvió a Honduras con la esperanza de reconstruir su vida en la tierra que amaba.
“Fue el plan de Dios”, recuerda. Semanas después de su regreso, su vida dio un giro inesperado: Jorge perdió la fuerza en brazos y piernas hasta el punto de no poder levantarse ni caminar. Durante seis largos meses, creyó que jamás volvería a caminar.
Buscó asistencia médica y se enfrentó a una realidad que muchos hondureños conocen: la cirugía que necesitaba costaba más de 400,000 lempiras (aproximadamente $15,200 USD), un monto imposible de cubrir. Su futuro parecía desvanecerse… hasta que encontró a CAMO.
Viajó al occidente de Honduras con la esperanza como único equipaje. Allí, el Dr. Roberto Álvarez, líder del Servicio de Neurocirugía de CAMO y del Hospital de Occidente, lo recibió y le brindó la oportunidad que tanto necesitaba. La cirugía fue un éxito y la vida de Jorge comenzó a cambiar.
Apenas un mes después de la operación, aunque aún no ha recibido terapia, ya puede ponerse de pie, caminar y levantar sus brazos, un milagro que él describe con lágrimas de gratitud. Ahora, está listo para cumplir su sueño: abrir su propio negocio y prosperar en su Honduras amada.
La cirugía de columna de CAMO en Honduras no solo cambia la vida de pacientes como Jorge, sino que fortalece la atención médica local. Al proporcionar cirugía, entrenamiento médico y seguimiento, CAMO asegura beneficios duraderos para comunidades enteras. Los donantes son clave para mantener estos programas y permitir que más personas reciban intervenciones que cambian vidas.
Conoce más sobre los programas de CAMO y cómo ayudar:
Each year, they respond to nearly 60 serious traffic accidents. Since then, these brave firefighters have saved 69 people trapped in car, bus, and semitruck accidents across the steep and winding mountain roads of western Honduras.
Last year, the department shared devastating news — their lifesaving equipment was no longer repairable. In a region where rescue calls happen almost weekly, and where reaching victims often requires navigating treacherous terrain, this was a grave concern.
Then, an unexpected connection changed everything. During an insurance meeting in the U.S., Rachel Foltz, a CAMO staff member, mentioned the need. By chance, the person she spoke with “knew a guy” connected to the Citizens First Fire Training in the U.S. who had a Jaws of Life in his basement.
One lead turned into another, and soon four firefighters and paramedics— Zachary Geib, Jacob Fondriest, Michael Schlabauch, and Patrick Maloney— volunteered to travel to Honduras to deliver the equipment and train the local department.
Eleven old vehicles were provided for hands-on rescue drills, and 20 firefighters—the entire Santa Rosa Fire Department—completed the training.
Their gratitude was profound, but so was the realization of how great the need remains.
Thanks to CAMO spinal surgery Honduras, Jorge Alberto Romero Herrera, from El Progreso, Yoro, regained his mobility after months of paralysis. An industrial engineer by profession, Jorge had migrated to the United States for 15 years but returned to his beloved homeland to rebuild his life.
“It was God’s plan,” he recalls. Weeks after returning, his life took an unexpected turn. Jorge lost strength in his arms and legs to the point he could no longer stand or walk. For six long months, he feared he would never walk again.
Seeking medical help, Jorge faced a harsh reality that many in Honduras experience: the spinal surgery he needed cost over $15,200 USD, an amount far beyond his means. His future seemed uncertain… until he found CAMO.
Traveling to western Honduras with hope as his only luggage, Jorge met Dr. Roberto Álvarez, head of CAMO’s Neurosurgery Service at the Hospital de Occidente. The surgery was successful, and Jorge’s life began to change.
Just one month later, even without therapy, he could stand, walk, and lift his arms—a miracle he describes with tears of gratitude. Now, he is ready to pursue his dream: opening his own business and thriving in his beloved Honduras.
CAMO spinal surgery Honduras not only transforms the lives of patients like Jorge but also strengthens local healthcare. By providing surgical care, medical training, and follow-up support, CAMO ensures long-term benefits for entire communities. Donors play a crucial role in sustaining these programs, enabling more patients to receive life-changing interventions.
Learn more about CAMO’s programs and how to help:
International brigade trains doctors and nurses in emergency protocols, benefiting over one million patients in the region. Two years ago, CAMO invested $42,000 to reclaim and rebuild vital areas of the Emergency Department at Hospital de Occidente—spaces that had been overtaken or repurposed by non-medical personnel.
Through this effort, CAMO restored and restructured key areas, including Stat Care, Triage, Nebulization, and Trauma, transforming the emergency service into a true center for critical response.
This year, Dr. Rosalia Mahr returned to Honduras as part of CAMO’s International Medical Brigade, continuing her commitment to strengthening emergency medicine at the region’s largest referral hospital, which serves more than one million patients across three departments.
Building on last year’s progress in teamwork and patient flow, Dr. Mahr was joined by Emergency Medicine Fellows Dr. Shering Torres and Dr. MaKayla Beecham. Together, they worked alongside local physicians and nurses to assess needs, strengthen response capacity, and reinforce clinical leadership within the Emergency Department.During the brigade, the team provided advanced training in:
Neurosurgery emergency protocols The second week focused on reviewing and refining the department’s standardized emergency protocols, ensuring they remain practical, effective, and sustainable in the local hospital setting.
Through this ongoing partnership, CAMO continues to bridge international expertise with local dedication—building the systems, skills, and confidence needed to save lives every day in western Honduras.
