We provide hope to children and teenagers with cancer in Guatemala.
Why We Fight?
Ayudame a Vivir Foundation Inc. in Florida, USA is a sister organization of Fundación Ayúdame a Vivir – AYUVI- in Guatemala. We both, are dedicated to raise funds to provide a holistic treatment at no cost for children with cancer in Guatemala.
Pediatric Cancer Can Be Treated
Children and teenagers around the world from 0 to 18 years of age can develop different types of pediatric cancer, like leukemia, retinoblastomas, central nervous system tumors and lymphomas, and a variety of solid tumors. The majority of them can be cured with the three pillars of the treatment: chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy.
Learn more
Children From Third World Countries Have Less Chance Of Survival
In developed countries, more than 80% of children affected by cancer are cured, but in underdeveloped countries, where 90% of the world's children live, the survival rate can be less than 8% in certain regions of the world, and around 35% in Central America.
Learn more
We Are Making A Big Difference With Guatemalan Children
Each year more than 700 children in Guatemala develop some type of cancer, Only 50% are cared of at the National Pediatric Oncology Unit – UNOP-, the only high specialized center in Pediatric Cancer in Guatemala. 7 out of 10 children with cancer can be healed if they receive a diagnosis and an adequate treatment on time.
Learn more
70%
of our patients can be healed.
<1%
or less is our dropout rate.
3,999
of our patients are cancer free.
816
children are helped each year through our programs.
The Challenge
Our hospital is operating at 100% occupancy every month. We still need to reach the other 50% of Guatemalan pediatric population that still aren't being helped.
50%
of guatemalan children are still not being diagnosed.
$60,000
is the average cost for treatment against cancer.
$250
or less is the average monthly family income of the 90% of our patients.
Meet Our Patients
In average, 150 patients are cared for daily through our outpatient clinic. Some of them go for their treatments, others for their regular check-ups, and others receive their diagnosis and are treated.
- Poverty & Extreme Poverty90% of families have an average monthly income less than $250/month and live in extreme poverty.
- Undernourishment50% of children have a moderate or a severe case of malnourishment by the time they are diagnosed.
- Diagnosis35% of children are not diagnosed until they already have an advanced case of the disease.
- Language & BeliefsMost of them speak one of the 23 Guatemalan Mayan Languages and 50% of them are Mayan descendants. They also differ in their beliefs with the philosophy of life and medicines from the Western world.
- Ages48% are 0 to 5
31% are 6 to 10
18% are 11 to 15
3% are 16 to 18 years old - Live Far Away70% of them live in rural areas and they travel for hours to receive their treatments.
About Guatemala
Guatemala is a country full of natural beauty, with a culture full of Mayan heritage and Spanish influence. However, it is one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, having alarming rates of violence, illiteracy, and malnutrition.
What We Do?
We provide funds so children who develop cancer in Guatemala can receive a holistic treatment at no cost.
-
Early diagnosis and adequate treatments allow 7 out of 10 children with pediatric cancer to be saved.
-
Our goal is to create happy moments and memories in our playrooms in spite of their struggle with the disease.
-
We establish therapeutic alliances with our patients and their families and educate them about cancer.
-
At AYUVI-Hogar Estuardo Mini – Hospice, we provide medical, psychological, and spiritual support to all patients which have no possibilities of defeating the disease.
-
The first step and support towards new patient's families is to identifying any risk factors so that we can minimize the possibility of abandoning the treatment.
-
We provide personalized, opportune, and comprehensive education in accordance to the level of education of each patient and their families.
-
We provide shelter to the families that live far from the Hospital and help feed them as well as assist in their transportation.
-
Currently we have been able to reduce the dropout rate to less than 1 %.
-
We provide nutritional support to our patients throughout their disease with our Food and Nutrition Education plans.
-
We apply the Control and Prevention of the Infections Associated to the Health Care (IAAS) rules and standards.
-
This program is the placement and maintenance of catheters, as well as, standardizing and monitoring patient's care with vein infusion therapy.
Our Facilities