José Quintanilla, a 68-year-old farmer from the community of Las Flores, Lempira, dedicated his life to working the land to support his family. However, everything changed when he unexpectedly lost mobility in his legs, arms, and hands, nearly becoming quadriplegic.
“I started with bone pain and couldn’t stand up. I began using a cane for support, but one day I just fell,” José recalled. Over the course of eight months, he not only completely lost mobility in his legs but also in his arms and hands. “I was bedridden for almost nine months and suffered for more than a year,” he added.
Desperate, he sought help from various doctors, even considering options in El Salvador. Finally, he arrived in Santa Rosa de Copán, where he contacted neurosurgeon Roberto Álvarez, who leads CAMO’s Neurosurgery Program at the Hospital de Occidente. CAMO is where José Genaro found hope.
Dr. Álvarez explained that José “had a condition in his cervical spine that caused spinal cord compression due to progressive narrowing, which nearly left him quadriplegic. If the patient had waited a little longer, there would have been no hope of seeing this outcome; he could have been bedridden for life.”
Eight months ago, José underwent life-saving surgery that, in a private clinic, he would not have been able to afford. However, thanks to CAMO, he only had to cover the cost of a cervical plate and screws. The rest of the necessary equipment for the surgery was provided by CAMO and the Hospital de Occidente.
Today, José has regained his mobility and independence: “I ask God to keep improving me so I can return to working the land and continue being the support for my six children, my grandchildren, and great-grandchildren,” he shared emotionally.
