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Testimonies

Ruth’s Story: Healing Cleft Lip Through CAMO

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For over four and a half years, CAMO has walked alongside Ruth Nohemí Peña Cáceres, supporting her from her first days of life. Ruth was born with cleft lip and cleft palate—a condition that shaped her beginning but never defined her future.

Ruth is the youngest of five children and the greatest treasure of her mother, Denia Suyapa Cáceres. With emotion in her voice, Denia recalls the day she first arrived at CAMO, carrying her three-day-old baby. She had just left the Hospital de Occidente and held a single hope: to find help that could secure her daughter’s future.

From that moment, Ruth and her mother never faced the journey alone. CAMO enrolled Ruth in its nutrition program to strengthen her body. Months later, her life changed when she received her first cleft lip surgery. This surgery was performed by an international CAMO medical brigade, led by volunteer plastic surgeons from the United States.

Two years later, another CAMO brigade performed her second reconstructive surgery, bringing Ruth closer to a full recovery. Today, at four years old, she eagerly awaits a third surgery to correct her gums and continue improving her smile and quality of life.

A Family Supported

Denia affirms that her daughter has never walked alone. CAMO’s consistent support has been a firm foundation. She trusts that the upcoming February brigade will provide the surgery Ruth still needs.

Thanks to this care, Ruth now speaks more clearly, eats with ease, and smiles with confidence. A bright future awaits her.

Ruth’s family lives in Nueva Vista, San José, Copán, facing serious economic hardship. Denia, a stay-at-home mother, works daily to support her youngest child. She clings to the hope that CAMO gave her the day they opened their doors—proving that healing is possible, and hope can grow.

Stories like Ruth’s are possible because of donors and volunteers like you. By supporting CAMO, you provide life-changing surgeries, medical care, and hope to children in Honduras.

Join us in transforming lives—one smile at a time: https://www.camo.org/donate

Bimonthly update

CAMO IN FOCUS NOV – DEC 2025

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Read CAMO IN FOCUS NOV – DEC 2025

In 2003, when many had lost hope, CAMO chose to believe. To believe in a forgotten space, in worn-down walls, and in a gym where no one else saw a future. CAMO saw something different: a place where thousands of children could dream, grow, and learn to persevere through sports.

 

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Testimonies

Five Lives Changed by the Gift of Hearing in Honduras

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During the recent holiday season, five patients in Honduras received an invaluable gift: the ability to hear. For families living in extreme poverty, this simple miracle transformed daily life and filled the end of the year with renewed hope.

José Vicente Torres (69), Cinthya Marilin Prado (25), Jonny Antonio Tróchez (21), Karen Michel Tróchez (16), and Brayan Jariel Lanza (8) had lived for years with severe hearing loss, some in complete silence. Despite the challenges, they pushed forward, navigating school, work, and relationships without hearing—because for them, hearing aids were far beyond reach.

In Honduras, where many families struggle to meet basic needs like food and shelter, investing in health care often becomes an impossible luxury. For people facing hunger, survival comes first, and medical devices such as hearing aids remain an unattainable dream.When Compassion Meets Need

Just when hope seems distant, compassion finds a way. Through CAMO, acts of generosity turned into life-changing moments.

Helene Levenfus, an audiologist from Ohio, shared that she had heard about CAMO for many years. It wasn’t until her retirement, however, that she felt called to travel to Honduras as a volunteer. Deeply moved by the patients’ needs, Helen made the heartfelt decision to donate hearing aids to those who needed them most.

She traveled to Honduras during CAMO’s October 2025 medical brigade, where she not only provided her professional expertise, but also evaluated patients and trained staff from Social Investment (INSSA), a CAMO initiative designed to generate sustainable resources and expand access to hearing care across the country.A Holiday Filled With Sound and Joy

Helene personally ensured that each patient received hearing aids tailored to their specific needs. Through INSSA, the devices were donated, allowing these five patients to experience something many had lost—or never known at all.

As the year came to an end, they celebrated the holidays with a gift that cannot be wrapped: the sound of voices, laughter, and life itself.

For them, this was more than medical care.
It was the gift of hearing—and the reminder that they are not forgotten.

Annual Report

CAMO Annual Report

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Read CAMO Annual Report

From May 2024 to April 2025, CAMO—alongside its volunteers and partners—provided 217,767 medical services to individuals in need across Honduras.
Through 151 brigades, including medical, dental, general medicine with EKG, nutrition, women’s care, ophthalmology, otorhinolaryngology, and mammography brigades, 12,464 patients received comprehensive care and health education.

 

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Testimonies

Honduras: Children Walk Again Thanks to Prosthetic

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From Pain and Cancer to a New Opportunity

At just 14 years old, Dilcia Muñoz Mateo has faced more pain than any child should endure. It all began with a poorly treated fracture that revealed devastating news: she had cancer in her foot.
What followed was an amputation, chemotherapy, and the painful decision to leave school. The disease put her life on hold, and hope seemed to disappear.

Dilcia lives in a rural community in San Andrés, Lempira, near the border with El Salvador. There, she received treatment and managed to overcome cancer. However, to regain her mobility, she needed a prosthetic leg — a cost her family could not afford.

When everything seemed lost, CAMO arrived.

Thanks to the support of FAKS Foundation and CAMO, Dilcia received the prosthetic that transformed her life. That day, she stood up again, moved again, and dared to dream again.
Today, she wants to return to school and dreams of becoming a doctor to help others like her.

Enoc: Four Years of Waiting to Take His First Steps

Enoc Timoteo Pita’s story is also the story of a mother who waited four years to see her son walk.

Enoc was born in the Honduran region of La Mosquitia with a genetic malformation that prevented him from walking. Months ago, doctors performed an amputation so he could use a prosthetic.

Thanks to the support of FAKS Foundation and CAMO, Enoc received the prosthetic that changed everything.

The day he walked for the first time, his mother cried with joy. Her dream came true: seeing her son walk.

Today, Enoc loves painting and dreams of becoming a soldier. Now, at last, he has the freedom to walk toward his future.

Testimonies

CAMO spinal surgery Honduras restores Jorge’s life

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Thanks to CAMO spinal surgery Honduras, Jorge Alberto Romero Herrera, from El Progreso, Yoro, regained his mobility after months of paralysis. An industrial engineer by profession, Jorge had migrated to the United States for 15 years but returned to his beloved homeland to rebuild his life.

“It was God’s plan,” he recalls. Weeks after returning, his life took an unexpected turn. Jorge lost strength in his arms and legs to the point he could no longer stand or walk. For six long months, he feared he would never walk again.

Seeking medical help, Jorge faced a harsh reality that many in Honduras experience: the spinal surgery he needed cost over $15,200 USD, an amount far beyond his means. His future seemed uncertain… until he found CAMO.

Traveling to western Honduras with hope as his only luggage, Jorge met Dr. Roberto Álvarez, head of CAMO’s Neurosurgery Service at the Hospital de Occidente. The surgery was successful, and Jorge’s life began to change.

Just one month later, even without therapy, he could stand, walk, and lift his arms—a miracle he describes with tears of gratitude. Now, he is ready to pursue his dream: opening his own business and thriving in his beloved Honduras.

CAMO spinal surgery Honduras not only transforms the lives of patients like Jorge but also strengthens local healthcare. By providing surgical care, medical training, and follow-up support, CAMO ensures long-term benefits for entire communities. Donors play a crucial role in sustaining these programs, enabling more patients to receive life-changing interventions.

Learn more about CAMO’s programs and how to help:

News Media Releases

New Jaws of Life from CAMO Help Save Lives in Honduras

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Each year, they respond to nearly 60 serious traffic accidents. Since then, these brave firefighters have saved 69 people trapped in car, bus, and semitruck accidents across the steep and winding mountain roads of western Honduras.

Last year, the department shared devastating news — their lifesaving equipment was no longer repairable. In a region where rescue calls happen almost weekly, and where reaching victims often requires navigating treacherous terrain, this was a grave concern.

Then, an unexpected connection changed everything. During an insurance meeting in the U.S., Rachel Foltz, a CAMO staff member, mentioned the need. By chance, the person she spoke with “knew a guy” connected to the Citizens First Fire Training in the U.S. who had a Jaws of Life in his basement.

One lead turned into another, and soon four firefighters and paramedics— Zachary Geib, Jacob Fondriest, Michael Schlabauch, and Patrick Maloney— volunteered to travel to Honduras to deliver the equipment and train the local department.

Eleven old vehicles were provided for hands-on rescue drills, and 20 firefighters—the entire Santa Rosa Fire Department—completed the training.

Their gratitude was profound, but so was the realization of how great the need remains.

Quarterly

CAMO AT A GLANCE 2024 – 2025

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Read CAMO AT GLANCE 2024 – 2025

We have completed our 32nd year. CAMO’s impact has been made possible by the generosity of donors, the dedication of our Honduran and U.S. staff, and the unmatched skill of our volunteers. Each person—whether giving time, talent, or resources—plays a vital role in creating tangible impact and remarkable outcomes.

 

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News Media Releases

CAMO Delivers $2.4M in Medical Equipment Across Honduras

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Every box packed, every repaired piece of equipment, and every container shipped tells a story of generosity. This year, thanks to the commitment of hundreds of volunteers, CAMO transformed donations into hope for thousands of people across Honduras.

In total, 492 volunteers—individuals who believe in the power of service—dedicated their time to sorting, repairing, packing, and distributing essential resources. Their quiet work, often behind the scenes, made it possible for organizations throughout the country to receive the tools they needed to continue caring for their communities.

Because of their efforts, 60 institutions, schools, hospitals, and clinics received 626 pieces of medical equipment, valued at $329,811.37, along with 7,946 boxes of supplies, valued at $2,393,161.75. Altogether, 7 containers filled with opportunity, tools, and relief reached the places where hope is needed most.

These enormous containers begin their journey all the way from Ohio, USA, traveling thousands of miles to reach Honduras.

Along the way, they pass through different regulatory checkpoints, where officials verify that all equipment and supplies are in good condition.

Once cleared, the containers make a long journey across the country, ultimately reaching 11 departments—Gracias a Dios, Choluteca, El Paraíso, Cortés, Santa Bárbara, Yoro, La Paz, Intibucá, Ocotepeque, Copán, and Lempira—where hospitals, schools, and clinics receive the supplies they need most.

But the numbers only tell part of the story. Behind each donation are the hands of volunteers who work with heart—repairing equipment piece by piece, restoring what once seemed unusable, organizing and preparing each shipment so that it arrives safely where it can save lives.

Their work represents thousands of dollars in savings and resources redirected toward patient care.

This collective effort is a reminder that when a community comes together, hope multiplies.
With every act of service, CAMO and its volunteers continue turning compassion into real, sustainable change for Honduras.

News Media Releases

Emergency Medicine Experts Boost Critical Care at Hospital de Occidente

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International brigade trains doctors and nurses in emergency protocols, benefiting over one million patients in the region. Two years ago, CAMO invested $42,000 to reclaim and rebuild vital areas of the Emergency Department at Hospital de Occidente—spaces that had been overtaken or repurposed by non-medical personnel.

Through this effort, CAMO restored and restructured key areas, including Stat Care, Triage, Nebulization, and Trauma, transforming the emergency service into a true center for critical response.

This year, Dr. Rosalia Mahr returned to Honduras as part of CAMO’s International Medical Brigade, continuing her commitment to strengthening emergency medicine at the region’s largest referral hospital, which serves more than one million patients across three departments.

Building on last year’s progress in teamwork and patient flow, Dr. Mahr was joined by Emergency Medicine Fellows Dr. Shering Torres and Dr. MaKayla Beecham. Together, they worked alongside local physicians and nurses to assess needs, strengthen response capacity, and reinforce clinical leadership within the Emergency Department.During the brigade, the team provided advanced training in:

  • FAST Ultrasound Techniques
  • Rapid Sequence Induction (RSI) — including pharmacology and intubation
  • Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) management

Neurosurgery emergency protocols The second week focused on reviewing and refining the department’s standardized emergency protocols, ensuring they remain practical, effective, and sustainable in the local hospital setting.

Through this ongoing partnership, CAMO continues to bridge international expertise with local dedication—building the systems, skills, and confidence needed to save lives every day in western Honduras.

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