My name is Paula Gallardo. I'm from Culiacan, Sinaloa.  My first son was born with a problem that at the beginning I didn't know what it was.  First, when he was 2 months old, a red birthmark appeared on his forehead.  People that saw him would ask me if he hit himself with something or what had happened to him.  I wouldn't answer because I didn't know what it was.

 

A few months later it started growing bigger, then I started searching and I saw many doctors.  Some doctors would tell me that it was caused by rubbing his forehead with a blanket, others would say it was an infected mosquito bite.  I wasn't convinced so I told my husband and mother-in-law that I was going to look for another doctor, my mother-in-law got mad at me and asked me why did I wanted to take away from my son what he had inherited from his grandfather.  This is when I realized that there were others in his family with the same problem.

 

I mentioned to my husband that I was going to go to Mexicali to see other doctors and he also got mad at me.  He told me not to count on him and that he wasn't going to give me any money, and he didn't give me any.  I talked to my sister and she helped me with everything and a friend of hers that has a daughter with a similar problem told my sister that her daughter had surgery in San Diego free of cost.  To this, my sister called me instantly to Culiacan and told me to come right away to Mexicali and talk to Ramona.  Then I felt very happy when I talked to ramona.

 

It was there where I saw before and after pictures of children and this made me feel that my son was going to get well.  Ramona gave me the paperwork and then Mary called me from San Diego.  Later my sister called me to Culiacan and told me to come right away but I didn't have not even a penny.  I talked to my husband and he told me not to count on him and that if I leave now, it would be not to return back home again.  I didn't care what he said all I cared for was to get to San Diego for my son's surgery appointment.  My sister helped me financially and she backed me up.  When I arrived in Tijuana Ramon pick me up and we talked, I noticed that I wasn't alone as I thought I was.

 

I felt a lot of confidence on my son's surgery.  When I arrived to the hospital I met Mary and she told that the surgery was going to be done now.  Mary stayed with me while my son was in surgery.  When I saw my son after the surgery I thanked God so much for putting all of you in my path and helping me.  I will never be able to thank you enough for all that you have done.  I would like that when my son grows up I could bring him back to show him the pictures of the time when he had the hemangioma and pictures of the people that treated us so well.  I will never be able to forget all the hospital personnel and the doctor that treated us so well.  You will all be always in my heart.  Thanks