Yadira Jamileth Benavides Hernandez is 29 years old and from Manceras Rancho Grande, Nicaragua. She has two children, the youngest of whom just turned two months old. Yadira is a fulltime homemaker, and these days is dedicated to taking care of her new baby.

For the past year, and all throughout her pregnancy, Yarida was suffering from horrible abdominal pain. She put it off as pregnancy pains but started to get concerned when the pain continued after giving birth.

“I used home remedies to help reduce pain, since the pills they gave me in the center do nothing and I have no money to buy injections."

At that time, Yarida was hesitant to go to the health center at all because her baby was very young and had no one to take care of her while her mother made the long journey.

When everything seemed hopeless, quality healthcare came to Yarida.

Esperança’s local partner, AVODEC, put together a volunteer surgical team to provide free surgeries for general and OBGYN patients. And the best news? The team would be operating just 20 miles from Yarida’s village.

She learned about the brigade from friends and decided to give it a chance.  Yarida was diagnosed with gallstones, hardened deposits in the gallbladder. Untreated, gallstones can become life-threatening, particularly if the gallbladder becomes infected.

“I had to endure the pain these last few months, but I decided to get surgery because the pain was very strong and wanted to avoid health complications.”

Yarida was one of 53 patients operated on over the course of the week, all with similar stories of pain and endurance.

“I feel very grateful since in hospitals it is difficult for one to be operated quickly, and thanks to Esperança, I no longer have that discomfort.  Hopefully they will continue to come and help us.”