
Twelve years ago we had a video made that we hope captured the essence of Somos Amigos. Featured in the video was a young man, one of our patients named José Ramon (featured at about 3:20). Even then José Ramon had been coming to us for care for several years. He had been suffering from a debilitating autoimmune disease, and often his scarred skin would break out with new lesions. Then in his twenties, unable to work and usually shunned by others because of his appearance, he has spent much of his life as the sole caregiver for his wheelchair-bound grandmother who suffered a severe stroke many years ago. Over time, and with many visits to our clinic and with a dermatologist in Santiago with whom we partnered, José Ramon’s situation improved little by little. He will never be completely free of the erupting lesions, and his life on the fringes of a remote farming community may never be easy, but in our volunteers and with the care he has received, José Ramon found acceptance and genuine concern for his well-being. I saw him just a few weeks ago when I delivered some of the medicated soaps, lotions and prescriptions we continue to provide, all possible with the support of our benefactors. You changed José Ramon’s life. You gave him hope. Thank you.