Alessio was born in a remote, jungle region of Peru – more than 20 hours from the capital city of Lima.
Upon learning that her son was born with a cleft, Alessio’s mom tells us that “it was difficult to accept at first.”
There were no specialists or services available to her son in their remote community.
She felt isolated and alone.
Thankfully, her cousin in Lima reached out to her when Alessio was born. Her cousin let her know that “there was a program that could help children like Alessio!”
That’s how she found TF’s Peruvian partner, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia (UPCH).
Alessio was admitted into UPCH’s program when he was just one month old. According to his mom, he’s received excellent, comprehensive cleft care ever since.
His family has moved to Lima for the time being, to ensure that Alessio will have access to the best services, and be able to attend his weekly appointments. His mom navigates Lima’s busy public transit system and infamous traffic, travelling about an hour each way to make the appointments.
Alessio’s mom shares that “the program has helped us a lot – through treatments, surgery and the support of a psychologist. I am just happy to see my child getting better.”
She adds that with the support of TF’s partner, “I learned to become stronger, to be more patient… we became more united as a family.”
Thanks to you, Alessio and his mom will continue to have the support he requires for years to come!
