The quality of Maria Castillo Valenciana’s life was steadily deteriorating. The simple things—walking, sitting, urinating—caused her constant pain. Every day she wondered how much longer she could live like this.  

Maria was dealing with a severe uterine prolapse, a serious medical condition where the uterus is no longer supported in its place, causing it to protrude outside the body. At this point, the only treatment option for Maria was surgery. She remembers the doctor’s warning... ‘Your life is in danger. Having your organ outside [of your body] means your life is in danger, so I want you in the hospital.”  

With no insurance, Maria found it impossible to find a hospital to perform the surgery. A downpayment of $20,000 was requested—an amount she could never afford. Desperate, she visited clinics in the community for help, with no success. As each door closed, her fears grew. Would no one help?  

The last clinic she visited was Duchesne Clinic. It was here that her fears and frustrations turned into hope. “Immediately (the patient care coordinator) Liz told me, ‘of course, we’re going to do everything possible to help you,” Maria recalls.

Maria had two initial consultations at Duchesne, one with a primary care provider and the other with an OB/GYN specialist. Both confirmed what she already knew: she urgently needed surgery. Duchesne was able to get Maria put on a waiting list through a WyJo Care Program that pairs patients with volunteer providers who perform services at greatly reduced costs. The wait was agonizing—dealing with both the physical and mental strain of her condition, but Maria now had a light at the end of a very long tunnel. It was no longer if she was going to get well, it was when.

Eight months after seeing her first doctor and 4 months after becoming a patient at Duchesne, Maria’s wait was over. During a 12-hour surgery Maria’s condition was corrected and the operation deemed a success. Now recovered, she’s gone back to living a normal, pain-free life.

Maria continues to follow up regularly at Duchesne Clinic and hopes that her story will not only highlight the clinic’s positive outcomes but will encourage others to not lose hope.

“I’m speechless, there are simply no words. From the minute you walk in [to Duchesne], you’re greeted, you receive attention up until you walk out....I’m just very happy and I give many thanks to this place, to the program, and to everyone here.”

Michele Surber

Executive Director

Caritas Clinics