From a very young age, Maribel Saenz was a victim of physical and emotional violence. After living four years with her husband, he shot her, and damaged her bone marrow, forcing her to live in a wheelchair. After a few years her health problems got worse. Thanks to the Junta de Beneficencia de Guayaquil´s intervention she now receives treatment and medicine free of charge at the Hospital Luis Vernaza and, above all, the hope of walking again.
Apparently, Maribel had it all. She was a happy young lady, full of dreams. She never imagined her partner, with whom she had lived with, for four years, would mistreat her. One day, after so much abuse and cheating, she decided to leave her husband: packed all her things and got ready to leave as she felt a bullet strike her.
Over twenty four years have gone by but she remembers it as if it was yesterday. "One day the doctor walked into the room thinking I was asleep. He told my parents I would never walk again. The bullet had damaged my bone marrow and I would have to live in a wheelchair. When I heard that I told my mother I did not want to live that way, and she replied that everyone would be supportive", she says.
From that day on Maribel´s life changed drastically. This tragedy was the cause of several health problems: intense pain in her spinal column, she chokes when speaking, has blood pressure problems and some months ago, she fractured her foot.
Maribel decided to look for help and contacted Canal Uno (TV. Channel) who publicized her case: La Junta de Beneficencia de Guayaquil immediately contacted her and she was transferred to the Hospital Luis Vernaza where she was examined, free of charge, by several specialists.
The Hospital Luis Vernaza Hospital doctors are excellent, I have been blessed.... It has cost me nothing, all has been given to me", commented Maribel who is presently receiving electric therapy and leg massage through which she has discovered her reflexes and sensitivity. Specialists have said these are signs and that there is a possibility she might walk again.
"I have this hope, this dream, that someday I will, if God permits, I will be on my feet....thank God today I can count on the Junta de Beneficencia de Guayaquil's considerable help. May God help the Luis Vernaza Hospital always, so they can continue to help more people", she concluded.
