Maria’s Story

What is Maria Sanchez’s problem?  She’s not trying to land a role in the Sound of Music.  She has advanced stages of varicose veins and she lives in Lima Peru. The doctors say if it get worse, the next step is amputation. How did it get like this?  Easy… in Lima Peru most of the residents cannot afford medical care.  Unemployment rates and the number of residents living in poverty are staggering.  Those fortunate enough to find work in Lima earned an average of $150 (U.S.) a month Which is barely enough for basic essentials.

Maria and her husband and 5 other family members in the household are part of Lima’s impoverished population.  Together they struggle to cover the basics and there is never enough for medical care. 

Maria’s eldest daughter Margarita Altamirano is a resident of Oakville.  She lives here with her husband and their two young daughters. Fortunately she was able to bring her mother here for a few months each time her daughters were born to help when she had her own serious health issues.  But Margarita has not been back to Lima since she left 5 years ago.  This past Christmas Margarita husband surprised her and the girls with a trip home planned for this February.  It was with much sacrifice that they were able to do this but Margarita had been worried that the time was short for her aging sick parents. The main goal for this trip is to get her parents the medical attention they desperately need.  The Altamiranos do the best they can but their budget cannot cover Maria’s medical expenses which are extensive. 

So what will they do?  Answer: Have a fundraising show just for Maria.  This idea came when Margarita sent dozens of emails to her friends explaining her mother’s plight. Her friend Susan answered her email and offered to do a fundraising puppet show for Maria.  Susan is also a resident of Oakville and has her own business Heeglee Entertainment that specializes in puppet shows.  Susan became friends with Maria when she was here visiting.  Maria loved her Saturday Morning Puppet Shows (see photo)

Susan tells the story of one of the conversations she had with Maria:

“One day a couple of summers ago I went to the Altamirano’s apartment to pick up some tamales.  Maria makes the best tamales and she was selling them.  No one else was home so Maria started speaking to me in Spanish as if I could understand.  She poured her heart out to me.  I do not speak Spanish but I pieced together what she said and understood that she had varicose veins.  When she showed me her legs I was shocked.  Both her legs from mid calf down to her toes were purple with bulging veins.  How did I ever not see her legs before?  She tells me that if it gets worse the doctors say the next step is amputation.  And at that point she burst into tears. I also understood that she didn’t want to burden her daughter and husband with her condition. She let them believe that the medication that she is taking is keeping everything under control.” 

Fast forward, the problem is not under control, it got worst.  How can you help?  By coming out to Maria’s show.

If anyone would like to see medical documents and photos verifying  Maria’s condition please email us with your request.

If you would like to make a donation please contact us