Juan is a 17-year old teenager from Guatemala. Our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK), tells us that Juan’s kidneys are not working properly, leaving his body unable to filter waste in his bloodstream.
Juan lives with his family in rural Guatemala. Before he became sick, Juan enjoyed going to school, but he is no longer able to attend classes. WK reports that Juan needs to receive peritoneal dialysis, which will remove salt, waste, and excess water from his blood, help control his blood pressure, and regulate the levels of potassium, sodium, and bicarbonate in his blood.
In Guatemala, kidney failure can be managed at home through peritoneal dialysis, which is a daily four hour process in which a cleansing fluid is circulated through the abdominal cavity to absorb waste products and then removed via dialysis.
The family’s small income is stretched thin, as Juan’s twin brother is already receiving dialysis. They need $1,500 in funding.
Juan’s mother shares, “My sons are the most important part of my life. It hurts me to see what is happening, but it is just for them I am fighting and asking the association to support me.”