Columban Fr John Boles spent time with Andrea and her family in her final days - Photo: Fr John Boles
“Hope springs eternal” goes the phrase, even in the saddest of situations, and surely none can be sadder than the case of young Andrea Alvarez.
Andrea lives in a poor district in a former Columban parish on the north side of Lima, the capital of Peru. At 18 she suffers from so many illnesses that she could probably fill the pages of a medical journal all on her own. She has cerebral palsy, the curvature of the spine, partial blindness, deformation of the lungs, convulsions and, most notable of all, hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus is the build-up of fluid in the cavities (ventricles) deep within the brain. The excess fluid increases the size of the ventricles and puts pressure on the brain. Many different therapies are often required to manage symptoms or functional impairments resulting from hydrocephalus.
Giving the terminally sick a dignified existence until God calls them. Thanks to Columban friends at home and abroad that is the miracle of life that we’ve been able to extend to young Andrea.
Andrea shares a one-room ground floor apartment with her mother Jacqui, her grandma Juana and her younger sister Noelia. She came to our notice when Noelia joined our First Communion program. The family subsists on handouts from some of Andrea’s uncles, who are taxi drivers. A nearby hospital provides her with free basic medicines but little else. Fortunately, through the generosity of Columban benefactors, and the voluntary assistance of local parishioners and physiotherapists from the Columban-run special needs school in Lima, we’ve made great strides towards improving Andrea’s quality of life.
As Mother Teresa taught us, it is also about giving the terminally sick a dignified existence until God calls them.
Each month we are keeping her supplied with powdered milk (she can’t take solid food) and adult nappies. The physiotherapists have equipped the family with specialized cushions and pillows. They have taught Jacqui and Juana how to position them to give Andrea maximum support throughout the day and night. Best of all, we’ve bought an orthopedic bed and mattress, making Andrea immeasurably more comfortable than before.
None of this will result in a miracle cure for Andrea. Doctors reckon that, given the lengthy case history, her lifespan will be limited. However, “giving life” is not just about miracle cures. As Mother Teresa taught us, it is also about giving the terminally sick a dignified existence until God calls them.
Giving the terminally sick a dignified existence until God calls them. Thanks to Columban friends at home and abroad that is the miracle of life that we’ve been able to extend to young Andrea.
Editor’s Note: It is with great sorrow that we report Andrea passed away on July 13, 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic. Her family remains in our prayers.
Columban Fr John Boles has worked in South America for the last 25 years.
