Elizabeth Carabali is a 56 year-old native of Esmeraldas. Her husband Victor suffered a stroke and she was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver. Thanks to the Junta de Beneficencia these illnesses are attended to at the Luis Vernaza Hospital free of charge.
Since Victor got ill, he spends time in a wheelchair and is incapable of going to work. Elizabeth had to assume control of matters at home taking care of husband and children. She worked long hours at a packing plant for entire weeks so as to make enough money to eat.
"My life and that of my family changed radically when I began to feel sick. I was in pain, my stomach became inflamed and too large. I wore two diapers, was unable to go to the bathroom, could not sit, I choked, my uterus would come out and the pain was so intense I would rather not remember, as recounted by Elizabeth.
Elizabeth and Victor moved to Guayaquil to look for help, for lack of means they spent five years without food or medical attention. "These were very trying times but I knew I had to leave my belly and my illness behind. I had faith and always thanked God. I knew he would send an angel and that he would help me, she recalled.
In despair the family turned to RTS (Tv.Station) who, through the news in the community T.V. program, made their situation known. Elizabeth and Victor, were inmediately attended to, free of charge, at the Luis Vernaza Hospital.
After several tests, health professionals diagnosed Elizabeth with cirrhosis of the liver and began treatment. "I await a transplant to heal completely, meantime the doctor checks the medical progress until a donor is found for the operation," she commented.
"I thank God because he sent excellent, angelical doctors. They, and the Guayaquil Junta de Beneficencia, have helped and are still helping me and my husband with medicine and medical attention free of charge. I thank the Luis Vernaza Hospital and the Guayaquil Junta de Beneficencia for extending their loving care and may they do the same for others who also need it," she concluded.
