CartAppeal for Donations
by Jim Luckett
Geraldine (pronounced "Geraldeenay") is a victim of severe, extensive burns. Please help Geraldine get the plastic surgery she needs by donating now for her plane ticket. The medical care will all be free, thanks to Shriner's Hospital in Boston. But Geraldine lives in Peru and does not have money to buy a ticket to Boston. She is a teenager. Her guardian is her aunt, who does low-wage work in Lima and has health problems of her own. The only thing standing in the way of Geraldine getting the plastic surgery she needs is plane tickets.
Four years ago I met Geraldine and her aunt at Shriner's Hospital and learned her story. When she was a small child she was horribly burned in an accidental fire. The injuries were too gruesome and extensive to describe here. Fortunately, a doctor in Lima knew of the great work being done in Boston by Shriner's Hospital burn unit and got her accepted for emergency surgery and flown here. They saved her life and started rebuilding her body. She's now a teenager and has had many, many surgeries at Shriner's as she grew up, gradually rebuilding her body. She spent so much time at Shriner's she became fluent in English. And she charmed everyone at the hospital with her loving, positive spirit. The doctor's performed miracles. All her limbs work again. Her face is beautiful. But as she grows, her skin does not grow with her properly. It becomes tight and painful and restricts her range of motion. So she requires additional surgery to make her skin fit her growing body. Also, the process of rebuilding her body to a normal form for an adult woman is not complete.
In the past, charities have provided plane tickets for Geraldine and her aunt. (Geraldine's aunt is her "mom" due to other tragic circumstances) . But these charities have per-patient lifetime limits and Geraldine has hit those limits.
We have been trying to get Geraldine back to Boston since 2008 for her next surgery. This time we must succeed!
I assure you this is absolutely legitimate. I have visited Geraldine in the hospital, I am in frequent contact with the social worker handling her case at Shriners, and my efforts have the blessing of Shriners, Geraldine and her aunt. There is no other plan for getting her the surgery she needs.
Above is a photo of Geraldine after her 2008 surgery (that's a big bandage visible coming up from the neckline of her nightgown), with my wife Betty reading to her. It was Christmas day, hence the Santa Claus hat.
Roundtrip tickets for 2 people, Lima-Boston-Lima, are expected to cost about $3200. If you have extra airmiles, enough for a whole ticket, that you want to donate, please call me at 978 263 7598. We also need $600 for departure taxes, ground transport and 4 months rent for a room in Lima. (The room is for their stuff while they are away and so they will have a place to live when they return to Lima. They will give up their apartment while they are away to save money on rent. They will have no income while they are here.)
The hospital is providing free medical care and has located a place for them to stay near the hospital; and they can eat in the hospital cafeteria for free. Because of the extensive nature of the surgery, they have to remain in Boston from August 14 until sometime in November, before Geraldine will be ready to travel home.
Credit Card
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or Paypal
Send paypal donations to Jim@SailboatsToGo.com
or Mail a Check
Send checks to James Luckett, 23 Pine Vale Rd, Waltham, MA 02451, made out to me.
If we collect more than we need for this trip, we'll use the excess for her next surgery after this one (if the hospital says there is going to be another one) or for her education. (The story of her education thus far is interesting: Much of her early education took place at the hospital. She needed so much care over such a long period of time and through many visits. Shriners was her second home and there is school in he hospital. Back in Peru, it was not possible for her to remain in school with other children because her scars and disfigurement attracted cruel teasing. So, she has always gone to adult education classes, in the evening. It was the only way.)
UPDATE July 19:
We have received donations and specific pledges from 22 people totalling $3000! Just $800 to go. Thank you!