In collaboration with various health associations around Mexico, leaders and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints demonstrates the power of unity and the positive impact that can be achieved when organizations work together to address important community needs.
The Church displays an ongoing commitment to the health and well-being of the communities it serves by providing necessary medical equipment that allow for the improvement of hospitals and medical exams — and giving members of these communities an opportunity to serve.
Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico
On Sept. 19, 2024, in Santiago de Querétaro, Querétaro, Mexico, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced a donation to Mujeres Unidas Contra el el Cáncer de Mama (Women United Against Breast Cancer) in support of low-income patients battling breast cancer.
The donation includes subcutaneous venous reservoir titanium catheters for 44 women in Querétaro in need of intravenous chemotherapy treatments — a treatment that involves administering anticancer drugs into a vein using a needle or tube — and a plan of covering 32% of the cost of performing the surgery needed to give the treatment to patients, reported the Church’s Spanish Language Newsroom.
These catheters provide a safe and effective administration of medication, while also reducing discomfort that may be caused by the needle injections. It is common for women undergoing mastectomy and chemotherapy to use these catheters due to the deterioration of their vascular system from prolonged intravenous treatment. The process is done by implanting the catheters under the skin and connected to a large vein near the heart, which then allows for fluids to be distributed without the need for constant punctures, according to the Church’s Spanish Language Newsroom.
The Church has also supported the organization previously through other medical donations such as compression gloves, silicone external prostheses, elastic compression sleeves, post-operative girdles and post-operative bras for women who are breast cancer survivors.
The donation of catheters will improve the quality of life for more than 40 low-income patients in Querétaro, as many of them who have undergone mastectomies and require chemotherapy cannot afford the SVR catheters required for their treatment, according to the Church’s Spanish Language Newsroom.
The project is anticipated to:
- Make chemotherapy treatment effective and efficient for low-income women with breast cancer in Querétaro.
- Reduce the number of skin and muscle lesions in 90% of women who receive the catheter, compared to those who do not have one.
- As the catheters are high-quality equipment, likely be used exclusively by each patient during their chemotherapy treatment, they are expected to last for years. The group plans to continue monitoring patients until the device is no longer needed and is removed.
Margarita Carrasco, director of Mujeres Unidas Contra el el Cáncer de Mama, and Dr. Martina Pérez, secretary of health of the state of Querétaro and the director of the General Hospital of Querétaro, were present alongside oncologists, nurses, and patients were present during the donation event.
“We are happy to be able to help others,” Querétaro Mexico El Sol Stake President Gabriel Santos said, “and that other women have opportunities in their lives. Thank you for the opportunity to work together and change lives.”
Karina Mateos, president of the Querétaro Mexico El Sol Stake Relief Society, was also present and said, “World progress begins with women and children. That is why we join in solidarity, as a community of faith, with MUCCAM to provide the resources that allow them to improve the quality of life of patients and also their families.”
San Juan del Río, Querétaro, Mexico
As part of its ongoing commitment of supporting local communities and provide humanitarian aid, the Church announced a donation to the Querétaro State Health Services in San Juan del Río, Querétaro, Mexico, on Oct. 14.
This donation includes essential medical equipment such as microtome, cryostat, flotation bath, automated tissue staining machine, refrigerator and precision balance — allowing the pathology laboratory at the San Juan del Río General Hospital to make more timely, precise and efficient diagnosis, and ultimately improving patient care, reported the Church’s Spanish Language Newsroom.
With the San Juan del Río General Hospital being the only institution in Querétaro that provides pathology services to patients without social security, this initiative will benefit the more than 11,000 patients the hospital receives per year in this region of Querétaro and neighboring states, reported the Spanish Language Newsroom.
The Church hopes their efforts will contribute to the early detection and successful treatment of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes.
“The donation we received represents a significant change in our ability to provide accurate and timely diagnoses to the patients we serve,” said María Pérez, secretary of health at Querétaro State Health Services.
“We appreciate the opportunity to allow us to help,” said Joaquin Palacios, counselor in the Church’s Queretaro Mexico Los Arcos Stake. “Please know that we are praying for those who will benefit from this assistance. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve.”
Mexico City, Mexico
On Oct. 24, the Church announced a new donation to the Mexican Diabetes Federation in Mexico City, Mexico, to support their efforts in preventing diabetes related blindness, reported the Church’s Spanish Language Newsroom.
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects millions of people worldwide and almost 14 million in Mexico, and is one of the three leading causes of death in the country with diabetic retinopathy being one of the most serious complications of diabetes, according to information from the Church’s Spanish Language Newsroom. Diabetic retinopathy can lead to vision loss, but can be prevented by retinal diagnostic exams.
The seven thousand retinal diagnostic exams provided by the Church will allow for early detections of the disease and enable timely intervention to manage blood sugar levels and address any abnormal blood vessel changes in the retina before significant vision loss occurs, the Church’s Spanish Language Newsroom.
By providing access to timely and affordable retinal exams, the Church hopes to help prevent patient blindness. The Diabetes Retinal Diagnostic Screening Project will asses patients’ retinal health through the help of artificial intelligence, and will be available in nine states of Mexico.
México City Tacubaya Stake President Marco Barrera said at the donation event: “We believe that all of God’s children should have access to essential resources and services that allow them to develop better, as well as dignified living conditions, including the prevention of diseases and quality medical care.”
