Dilia

Dilia Oviedo Oviedo is 79 years old.  She had 12 children. One was stillborn. Of the 11 children that survived to adulthood, 4 already died from Huntington’s disease. 4 more are currently sick with HD, 2 in late manifest disease. Her husband died in the early 90s, and now a future generation is beginning to show the symptoms. One of her grandchildren already died of HD. She has 27 more, most of them at risk. Two of her great grandchildren are part of our sponsorship program (Project ‘Abrazos’, see kids’ project tab)… the disease spreads throughout families in rural areas where the lack of support and frank ignorance about the disease perpetuates a cycle of disease, fear and poverty. Women particularly need to be educated of their options and rights so that they can make informed reproductive choices.

Dilia is a remarkable woman. I first met her in 2013, and hers was one of the first large Latin American families I ever visited. She lives with two of the kids (Maribel appears in the pictures with her, and she came with us to the Vatican and met Pope Francis) and several grandkids, in a family compound in the outskirts of a small town called “El Dificil”, in Northern Colombia (Magdalena State). As each kid got progressively sick, they all moved in with her. Most of the women were abandoned by their husbands, and they relocated to be under Dilia’s care. She has plenty of experience caring for HD patients, although it is becoming very hard for her to manage. They are very poor, and receive no government support. She lacks access to fresh water. The electrical service does not always work, and access to food is also scarce.

When I first met them, 2 other of her children were sick. They had died since then. Dilia was reserved, even though she was used to some people coming to see her family, she was very guarded. Maribel, her daughter, even more. Their eyes were sad, they did not engage much, and would not look at you directly in the eye. Their faces were marked with years of struggle, fear, anger and frustration. I have now become friends with them. The trip to Rome this last May was a remarkable experience, and I saw both Dilia and Maribel transformed. They were glowing. Dilia in particular became sort of a movie star during the trip. Her elegance and poise were incredible. Everyone loved her and wanted to meet her.

That Dilia- filled with grace, elegance, pride, hope and laughter, is the person we hope to make each Huntington patient into. Maribel changed as well… or maybe she did not change, maybe she became who she has always been before, happy, talkative, affectionate, proud.

I don’t think I have ever seen first-hand a more beautiful transformation for two people: Maribel and Dilia. Having met the Pope was a transformative event for her. I kind of think of this trip as a Thank You to her for all that she has done to care for her entire family in spite of the difficulties. She has given all of us a lesson in perseverance, love, and humility. She never complains about her life – she simply focuses on doing the best she can for her kids, and her main concern is what she can do to care better for them. Get them food, get them diapers, get them to be more comfortable. We should all learn from her.

If you want to see a video of Dilia and Maribel, click HERE.