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Español abajo.
My name is Tim Curtis and I live in the small mountain community of Monteverde, Costa Rica. TWo years ago, I became acquainted with Marta Miranda when her husband was dying of cancer and she came into my office seeking assistance to help support her and their young children.
Now Marta is a widow and is sharing a house with Andrea, another widow, outside the port city of Puntarenas. Between them, they have 5 children. Together, they were doing their best to cover expenses by selling ceviche and used clothing on the beach, but the COVID virus and health problems put a stop to their selling. Doña Marta has diabetes, a weak heart, and has had cancer removed from her breast and her ovaries (both have returned). An undocumented immigrant, she just recently gained the right to free medical consultations in the local clinic, but as yet they will cover no medications except acetaminophen.
Andrea's year-old daughter also has a serious heart condition. Andrea is Costa Rican and is covered by insurance, but has no income to help buy food. My wife, Helena Guindon, and I have helped them survive for over a year, with much help from our neighbors and friends. With current conditions, the needs have increased at the same time that our community's ability to help has dwindled.
This campaign has helped us to keep them from starting or being evicted from their home for several months, but just today (October 16th) they were both diagnosed with COVID-19. They had just found temporary work, peeling shrimp, which gave them hope of earning their own money for food. Now, after only 2 days of work, they are sick and in quarantine.
Spanish:
Mi nombre es Tim Curtis y vivo en la pequeña comunidad montañosa de Monteverde, Costa Rica. Hace 2 años, conocí a Marta Miranda cuando su esposo estaba muriendo de cáncer y llegó a mi oficina buscando asistencia para ayudar a apoyar a ella y sus hijos pequeños.
Ahora Marta es viuda y comparte una casa con Andrea, otra viuda reciente con una bebé pequeña, a las orillas de la ciudad porteña de Puntarenas. Entre ellas, tienen 5 niños. Juntas, estaban intentando cubrir sus gastos con vender ceviche y ropa usada en la playa, pero el COVID y problemas de salud detuvieron sus actividades de venta. Doña Marta tiene diabetes, un corazón débil y le han removido cáncer de su pecho y sus ovarios (ambos han vuelto a crecer). Es inmigrante indocumentada y hasta recientemente logró que la atendieran gratis en la clínica local, pero aún no le dan ningún medicamento aparte del acetaminofén.
La bebé de Andrea, quién tiene un año, también tiene una condición de corazón seria. Andrea es costarricense y está cubierta por los seguros, pero no tiene ningún ingreso para comprar comida. Mi esposa, Helena Guindon y yo hemos ayudado a que sobrevivieran por más de un año, con mucha ayuda de nuestros vecinos y amigos. Con las condiciones actuales, las necesidades han aumentado mientras la capacidad de la comunidad se han reducido hasta casi desaparecido.
Con esta campaña, hemos podido evitar que se mueran de hambre o que se les desalojaran de su casa, pero hoy mismo (16 de octubre) fueron diagnosticadas con COVID-19. Hace pocos días, lograron encontrar un trabajo temporal, pelando camarones, pero después de apenas 2 días de trabajo están enfermas y en cuarentena.
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