Dr. Eck Touched by Outpour of Public Support

On Friday, we reported on the shocking news that Doctor Cecilio Eck, the beloved Belizean pediatrician, was diagnosed with stage four cancer. Eck made the discovery while conducting a test of the new C.T. scan machine at the K.H.M.H. where it revealed multiple lesions throughout his body. Since the announcement, friends and family members of Eck have banded together to create a GoFundMe campaign to help sponsor the cost of his treatment. We spoke with Doctor Eck today, who told us that the outpour of love and support he’s received from the public has been a humbling experience. Here’s more on that.

 

Dr. Cecilio Eck, Cancer Patient
“To me that one was the most surprising, mind boggling, humbling. I tell people I love what I do. I love my job and I don’t think I could do anything else. And when we needed help and they started to fundraise the amount of people who contributed from the smallest amounts to some huge amounts, from people, you know, that they become a part of your family when they come in and, when you see them grow, the little kids grow from zero to right now they’re bringing their own kids to see me, eighteen, twenty, it is, it was, and still is humbling and mind-boggling that they do it, I, you know, I don’t have any words to express it better than that. it’s just surreal again. I mean, I know Belize and growing up here financially is rough on most of us. And so for them to take the time, the effort to send it a little bit, that little bit turns into an amount that we can use. And I know in the first world it will be a lot, a lot of money to do simple studies, but, I’m going to get their opinion on that. That’s the reason. That’s the reason. And I know that with, even with the insurance I have, it won’t cover it. The, the main thing that I think made me survive Covid, and I’m hopeful that we will survive this ordeal is God. Prayers came from innocent children. One of my cousins, Venecia, started a rosary every night. Hundreds of people joined that. And I didn’t, I was completely out of it, right but, it’s not only the community I serve, but going to church and that church community, or God that has caused me to survive Covid. I went through my notes and at least four times I would have given up on me. Really, this patient look bad, and he brought me back.  And so I’m hopeful this time there will be some hope, some light at the end of this, of this ordeal.”