FACIAL CANCER CHILDREN

Thanks to Volunteer Dreamworkers Dana Parnay and Autumn Phipps, we learned of an alarming situation in the high mountains of Peru, where Dana and Autumn taught school for several years.

It seems that the river where many of the children play is contaminated with, among other things, waste from a nearby mine in the mountains of Cajamarca.

It may be a coincidence, but several children have developed facial cancer since the mine was built and started dumping waste into the river.

Martincito Vasquez Jambo, eight years old, is one of these children. He has lost 90% of his vision due to the chemotherapy on his face. His family cannot afford the bus fare needed to get back and forth to the nearest hospital for Martincito's chemotherapy treatments.

The hospital is in Lima, a fourteen hour bus ride each way. The tickets are about 80 soles each, which is about $25 each way.

Dana and one of his English students, Zary Ramos, discussed the situation, and felt the need would be best served if the family could create a steady flow of income.

Zary had the idea of purchasing a street cart for the family, so they may cook food and sell it... we loved the idea and the family was very excited about it.

The cart, propane tanks, supplies, etc., cost about $325 U.S. The volunteers who know this family say they are very hardworking and will do well with the cart.

(Photo of Martincito and his family outside their home - Zary took all these photos. She received permission from Martincito's parents, Maria Octavila Jambo Vazquez, and Fermin Vasquez Sifuentes, in the hope they would receive help.)

Martincito and his Mom in their kitchen. Dana tells us that Martincito is a very bright, wonderful child. He has learned some Braille, and was reading to Dana the last time they were together.

No running water is in the home. Zary's mom gave Maria cooking and flavoring lessons, using the cart and valve, propane tank, etc.

Martincito and his sister, Jesica Vasquez Jambo, 7, in front of their outhouse.

Interior of their outhouse.

Martincito by the river where he and many of his playmates are now forbidden to play. Their parents are acutely aware of the hazards of the contaminated river. Sadly, there are undoubtedly other families not yet aware of the dangers.

We believed that the purchase of a street cart for Martincito's family would greatly help his ability to receive proper medical care... and hoped he would be healed.

Zary Ramos, (seen here with Martincito and his mother and sister) who created the idea of the street cart to raise funds for the families of the facial cancer children. Our first "carro sanguchero" went to Martincito and his family, with a filled propane gas tank, a gas regulator, accessories, condiments, and spices!

We wanted to do the same for other families in the area whose children have facial cancer. We are so grateful to Dana, Zary, and Autumn for their incredible work and for the opportunity to be a lifeline for these families.

Thanks to our donors, we also provided the family with two round trip tickets ($100) for the 14 hour bus ride to Lima for another of Martincito's chemotherapy treatments.

We purchased another cart as well. This cart already had a propane gas tank and a gas regulator and was further equipped to use by the family of Joel, another child with facial cancer in the area, who at the time of this writing is not eating and not doing well, possibly from his latest round of chemotherapy treatments.

Joel's full name is Osmer Joel Escobar Lopez, and he is ten years old. His father is Leonidas Escobar Rojas, and his mother is Estaurofila Lopez de Escobar.

Both mothers of these two boys met with Zary and her mother for cooking lessons. Food supplies were purchased so they ould begin.

They don't have access to refrigerators, so they need to use stores nearby for fresh meat, etc. The families are very thankful for this new opportunity in their lives.

Oh, great news! The doctors in Lima decided that Martincito will not need another series of chemo, and that the tumor detected in his eye is no longer there!

Dana visited with him, and reported that Martincito was noticeably more energetic, and able to see a bit better than before...so we are all hoping he will not completely lose his sight as was predicted.

From Kathy - Hmmmmmmmmmmm, perhaps knowing so many people in the world are now helping him and his family helped to make a difference? Hope can work miracles! :)

"Our intentions stretch out into the world around us, and also extend into the future. We are linked to our environment and to each other." - Sheldrake