Email a Friend
Print Article
HPV and Doraldo - An Update
It was an unusual phone message. The accent was heavy, but somehow, familiar. It took us several times listening to the message before my wife figured it out. It was Doraldo's mother calling from Florida.
We met Doraldo in November, 1997 at the Almond Leaf Health Fair in Runaway Bay, Jamaica, where my wife and I were medical volunteers at a tiny community clinic. When we arrived in the early morning hours, still dark, there were hundreds of people in their Sunday finest, waiting to be seen at the clinic. Our mission was to detect hypertension, provide free eye glasses, and see just about everything that came through the door.
Our team quickly set up shop, divided up the medical supplies that we had carried from Michigan. It seems like an endless stream of desperate people, many with easily-treatable illnesses and other with more serious health problems. There were uncontrolled diabetics, skin infections, kids with ear infections, older folks with cataracts (more common in bright sun areas), and a few surprises. The cardiac team brought an echocardiogram and found dozens of people with heart murmurs of various types. And, then I met Doraldo.
He was fifteen years old, but looked about twelve. He had a small frame, very shy, and a large smile covered most of his face. His voice was gravelly; nearly inaudible, and he was having problems taking a deep breath. Doraldo had a condition that is quite rare in the U.S. and other industrialized nations. He had laryngeal papillomatosis - an HPV infection of the voice box. These warts are typically venereal, but can be transmitted to the baby at birth, as was the case for Doraldo. The warts had grown to such proportion that they not only compromised his ability to talk, but to breathe. His mother asked if we could help him. I said that I would try.
A week later, we were back in the Michigan snow, but Doraldo was constantly on my mind. An ENT specialist from Saginaw was speaking at a lunch conference, so I decided to go. After the talk, I waited around to speak with him. I told him about Doraldo and asked if there was anything that could be done to help him.
It was a strange coincidence - Dr. James Letson was a former volunteer on the old hospital boat "Hope" when it was stationed in Jamaica. Not only was he familiar with Doraldo's affliction, he had a particular affection for the Jamaican people. He said if I could get Doraldo to the states, he would treat him for free. Doraldo needed laser surgery.
It took nearly a year to get the U.S. State Department to approve a medical visa. Covenant Healthcare in Saginaw donated the operating room and care. A local travel agency paid for the air transportation for Doraldo and his mother. All the pieces were in order now. Doraldo came, had his (first) surgery, and returned home. Shortly after his surgery in November 1998, we left Michigan to return home to California. Volunteers in Michigan, including a Jamaican woman that read Doraldo's story in the newspaper took care of him when he returned for his second laser treatment. That was over ten years ago.
Being in California, we lost touch with Doraldo. The PA that ran the annual Almond Leaf Health Fair died of a heart attack, so there were no more medical missions to Runaway Bay. Then, yesterday, we heard from Doraldo's mother.
For the last several years, now, Doraldo (now 27) has been residing in Florida with his mother. Unfortunately, his laryngeal papillomas had returned. This morning, I spoke to his mother from the hospital where Doraldo had surgery again. He was doing fine, but obviously, could not come to the phone.
Soon I hope to hear this "voice" from the past.
Related Topics:
We met Doraldo in November, 1997 at the Almond Leaf Health Fair in Runaway Bay, Jamaica, where my wife and I were medical volunteers at a tiny community clinic. When we arrived in the early morning hours, still dark, there were hundreds of people in their Sunday finest, waiting to be seen at the clinic. Our mission was to detect hypertension, provide free eye glasses, and see just about everything that came through the door.
Our team quickly set up shop, divided up the medical supplies that we had carried from Michigan. It seems like an endless stream of desperate people, many with easily-treatable illnesses and other with more serious health problems. There were uncontrolled diabetics, skin infections, kids with ear infections, older folks with cataracts (more common in bright sun areas), and a few surprises. The cardiac team brought an echocardiogram and found dozens of people with heart murmurs of various types. And, then I met Doraldo.
He was fifteen years old, but looked about twelve. He had a small frame, very shy, and a large smile covered most of his face. His voice was gravelly; nearly inaudible, and he was having problems taking a deep breath. Doraldo had a condition that is quite rare in the U.S. and other industrialized nations. He had laryngeal papillomatosis - an HPV infection of the voice box. These warts are typically venereal, but can be transmitted to the baby at birth, as was the case for Doraldo. The warts had grown to such proportion that they not only compromised his ability to talk, but to breathe. His mother asked if we could help him. I said that I would try.
A week later, we were back in the Michigan snow, but Doraldo was constantly on my mind. An ENT specialist from Saginaw was speaking at a lunch conference, so I decided to go. After the talk, I waited around to speak with him. I told him about Doraldo and asked if there was anything that could be done to help him.
It was a strange coincidence - Dr. James Letson was a former volunteer on the old hospital boat "Hope" when it was stationed in Jamaica. Not only was he familiar with Doraldo's affliction, he had a particular affection for the Jamaican people. He said if I could get Doraldo to the states, he would treat him for free. Doraldo needed laser surgery.
It took nearly a year to get the U.S. State Department to approve a medical visa. Covenant Healthcare in Saginaw donated the operating room and care. A local travel agency paid for the air transportation for Doraldo and his mother. All the pieces were in order now. Doraldo came, had his (first) surgery, and returned home. Shortly after his surgery in November 1998, we left Michigan to return home to California. Volunteers in Michigan, including a Jamaican woman that read Doraldo's story in the newspaper took care of him when he returned for his second laser treatment. That was over ten years ago.
Being in California, we lost touch with Doraldo. The PA that ran the annual Almond Leaf Health Fair died of a heart attack, so there were no more medical missions to Runaway Bay. Then, yesterday, we heard from Doraldo's mother.
For the last several years, now, Doraldo (now 27) has been residing in Florida with his mother. Unfortunately, his laryngeal papillomas had returned. This morning, I spoke to his mother from the hospital where Doraldo had surgery again. He was doing fine, but obviously, could not come to the phone.
Soon I hope to hear this "voice" from the past.
Related Topics:
- Medical Mission to Haiti:Images
- Ear, Nose & Throat Message Board with Rod Moser, PA, PhD
- Living Better Newsletter - Wellness news to keep you healthy and strong!
Labels: HPV, meical mission
