Every year, Shriners Children’s selects a pair of International Patient Ambassadors to represent the healthcare system’s patients. The ambassadors share their stories of perseverance and the ways Shriners Children’s has made a difference in their lives. We are honored to have these impressive young people advocating for our healthcare system.
Juan Diego, 18, was burned in an electrical accident when he was 13, leaving his hands seriously disfigured. He spent more than a month in the hospital in his home country of Honduras. When he returned home, he was completely dependent on others for even the most basic tasks. He could not take care of himself, go to school, or draw or play music, two of his passions.
The Ruth Paz Foundation, a nonprofit organization in Honduras devoted to providing quality medical services to children, learned about Juan Diego’s burn injury and connected him with Shriners Children’s Boston. Four months after his injury, he arrived at the hospital in Boston. Some of his burn wounds were still open, requiring immediate attention from the acute burn team. Juan Diego knew the road ahead was going to be challenging, but he approached every day, every treatment and every obstacle with a positive attitude.
During his two and a half months in Boston in 2018, much of Juan Diego’s treatment involved intensive physical therapy and occupational therapy. He worked with therapists at least five days a week, sometimes multiple times a day. Occupational therapist Courtney Updegrove fabricated customized splints for his hands, enabling Juan Diego to relearn how to care for himself. He was even able to draw and play the drums again.
I have learned from working hard through my recovery that I am always ready for a challenge.
Along with his traditional therapy sessions, Juan Diego was a member of Team Brave, the hospital’s community reintegration program, and competed in a Spartan Race as part of Team No Limits. He was also one of five patients who attended Game 1 of the World Series. He said it is a night he will never forget.
Juan Diego transferred to the reconstructive phase of his care where Joseph Upton, M.D., a plastic surgeon hand specialist, was able to restore sensation and mobility by taking tissue from another part of Juan Diego’s body and building a web space between his thumb and index finger. Juan Diego continues to come to Shriners Children’s Boston for reconstructive and laser surgeries to improve the function and mobility of his hands.
With every improvement, Juan Diego is able to do more of what he loves. From art and music to so many sports – soccer, football, tennis and ping-pong, Juan Diego keeps very busy. He would even love to go to the Paralympics to compete in ping-pong someday. “I should probably start practicing!” he laughed.
Now a college student in Honduras studying international relations, Juan Diego is honored to represent Shriners Children’s as an International Patient Ambassador.
