Funding request: $2,972.95 CAD
Critical Need: CN-BSS0225
Margarita is 44 years old and lives with her three children and her husband, Miguel, in her parents’ home. Her two school-aged children, Rodrigo and Alejandra, are enjoying school with the support of a Chalice sponsor through our Guadalupe sponsor site. Miguel works sporadically as a carpenter, while Margarita is a seamstress.
In 2022, Margarita began an aggressive treatment for Chagas disease, a vector-borne parasite that causes chronic heart and intestinal issues. During the treatment, she experienced increasing discomfort in her ears and asked her doctor about it. Her doctor assessed she had 30% functionality in her left ear and recommended she use a hearing aid to improve her hearing and prevent the issue from affecting her right ear. She did some research and found that even the most affordable hearing aids were far beyond her means, so she didn’t act on the recommendation.
But her progressive hearing loss has caused Margarita to withdraw from her social life, family, and children. She lost her job. Typically outgoing and enthusiastic, she’s now isolating herself, and she’s struggling with depression due to her inability to communicate with her children. She has stopped attending all of her children’s school meetings and sponsorship-related gatherings. Miguel took over the leadership role in their Chalice family circle.
In January 2025, the Guadalupe site staff encouraged her to seek a medical consultation and committed as a team to supporting her throughout the diagnostic process. They went with her to the ENT, who ran a tympanogram to assess her ear functionality. They concluded she has 60% hearing loss in her left ear and 50% in her right ear. Her ENT said that the condition is incurable, but they can prevent total hearing loss with hearing aids.
The Guadalupe site has therefore requested $2,972.95 CAD for two hearing aids and two battery packs to prevent further deterioration and improve Margarita’s quality of life.
DONATEPlease note that any donations that exceed the request will be used to fund other critical need emergencies that may arise.