Appreciating Carolina Martinez’s Childhood Struggle

We continue our search for inspiring stories of people who have faced life-saving medical procedures. This week, we had an opportunity to meet a remarkable young girl who, despite her challenges, embraces life with a positive outlook every day. July is National Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness Month, and while the following story contains graphic content, it is crucial to share. Sabreena Daly brings us more in this week’s Look on the Bright Side.

 

Sabreena Daly, Reporting

It’s been six months since Carolina Martinez has been to school.  She is drawing and coloring, a regular activity she engages in to pass the time, and today I was her helper. At only eight years old, Carolina is healing from her seventh surgery. The most recent operation back in January was an attempt at mending an abnormality she was born with. But her journey is far from over.

 

Briseidy Montecinos, Mother

“The truth is that when I was pregnant, I did two ultrasounds, which didn’t show anything of any consequence. And then, to our surprise, when she was born, we realized the deformity.”

 

 

 

 

Briseidy Montecinos is the mother of Carolina, her only child. She vividly recounts the moment she met her daughter after delivery and the heartbreaking realization that her baby was not okay.

 

 

 

 

Briseidy Montecinos

“When they showed me my daughter, it was something very surprising, because

I never imagined having a girl in that state. But God has given me the strength and the moment that I saw her. I said that if God was giving it to me, He was giving it to me for a purpose.”

 

 

 

Milagro Garel, Country Director, World Pediatrics

“Coincidentally, we were at Karl Heusner when Carolina was born. And you could hear a pin drop because right away her deformity was extremely different, intense, and very complex.”

 

 

 

 

Carolina was born with a cleft and craniofacial abnormality. Her entire face looked as though it was split in two with a prominent hole in between the equal split of her nose. The causes of craniofacial abnormalities may range from genetics to environment and even a nutritional deficiency from the mother in pregnancy. Milagro Garel is the Country Director of World Pediatrics. She shares the immediate challenges Carolina faced at birth.

 

 

 

Milagro Garel

“As early as four months, after she was being fed through a syringe, the mom explained that the nurses and the staff at Karl Heusner were very supportive and everyone really came together for her. But as early as four months we had a team in Belize and we were able to do the closure of her lip. So that allowed her to be able to eat well because she wasn’t gaining weight and we were very concerned as well because she had breathing problems because of the nose being opened up in two.”

 

 

Briseidy Montecinos

“Well, thank God in the same hospital where she was born, I found out about the foundation and believe me, it was something.  I can call it a miracle because I was saying how am I going to deal with her. How are you going to feed yourself? How do I know if she is hungry? Then at the hospital they found a solution.”

 

 

For the past two decades, World Pediatrics has been providing urgent care services to children in Belize with surgical needs. They are recognized for the twenty-four-hour access provided to these families.

 

Milagro Garel

“Our organization works a bit differently than others because we are able to take care of an urgent need in Belize, in the country. So even after our team leaves, we have a database which has the information for all the patients that we have taken care of and those that are on a waiting list. And I believe that that is what makes us different and stand out.”

 

Carolina is one of approximately ten thousand kids who have benefited from the non-profit. This is a service that most families would not be able to afford on their own.

 

Briseidy Montecinos

“I didn’t imagine that I would receive so much help and the flights, food and lodging is something that the foundation has received; So many blessings for so many children who they are helping. Because the truth is that we as parents don’t have that amount of money to pay for an operation because they are expensive. There are millions that are spent on kids that need it because of the foundation here in Belize. Because they work hard and raise funds not just for one child, for thousands. I thank God that He gave the strength, intelligence and kindness for the people who are behind all this help.”

 

July is recognized as National Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Abnormality Awareness month, an opportunity to spread awareness about the effects of this disorder, the help available and the importance of empathy to persons fighting this battle. For Carolina, the hardest part was learning that her daughter was being bullied at school for her appearance.

 

Briseidy Montecinos

“The first year, it was a little difficult because there were kids who locked her in the bathroom at school.  And one day she came and she told me she doesn’t want to go to school anymore. And I asked her why? And she told me, there is a girl who locks me in the bathroom and says that I am a girl who has two noses. She became discouraged. It’s important for people to realize that when children are born with different severities or shortcomings or challenges, I feel that people should even be friendlier and more outgoing to them and treat them as normal because that is what you know, her doctor said, I want people to know that Carolina is a super intelligent child. And she’s very normal on the outside and she deserves every opportunity.”

 

If you happen to meet this little girl, the first thing you would feel is her immediate warmth. At the tender age of eight, Carolina has had to endure many challenges, both physically and emotionally. Yet, she chose to introduce herself to me, a total stranger, with an embrace. Carolina may look different on the outside, but she is a regular eight-year-old within. She prays, plays music and sings, and she hopes to have a future like any other child.  Looking on the Bright Side, I’m Sabreena Daly.