Alba Miranda is 26 years old and mother of four from Guatemala. She underwent a pap smear test with the nurses in our medical partner's women's health program, and the results of her pap came back positive. Though Alba Miranda does not currently have symptoms, she still needs to undergo a colposcopy, which is a guided biopsy procedure that removes affected areas of the cervix. A colposcopy is often curative for cancerous or precancerous lesions of the cervix, and it is therefore is the best way to prevent the spread of cervical cancer.
With $218 in funding, Alba Miranda will consult with a specialist who will perform the colposcopy. Even if cancer or pre-cancer is found in her biopsy results, this procedure is often curative. She will be able to continue to take care of her children, attend church and go to her meetings in the community every week. The procedure is scheduled for October 3.
She says, "I want to see my children grow up, and I want a better future for them. I only studied until sixth grade, but I want my children to become professionals."