Helping Hortencia with medical needs

Many of you who visit Isla Mujeres will know dressmaker Hortencia Garcia Guzman, who, with her family, has Artisanías Hortencia, a small shop located at Matamoros and Carlos Lazo. Hortencia is a much loved pillar of the Isla Mujeres community.

Seven months ago Hortencia was involved in a car accident. She started experiencing extreme pain and weakness. The doctors diagnosed her with Parkinson’s disease. The family spent 90,000 pesos on treatment that did not help. Recently the misdiagnosis was discovered. An MRI has detected that the cause of her life altering condition is actually a herniated C5 vertebrae. Likely a result of that car accident. The family is now meeting with a neurologist for additional tests to determine if she can have surgery to repair her C5 and hopefully help her condition. It is a very high risk surgery. The tests are 17,000 pesos and the surgery would be 300,000 pesos if they move forward.

The family has only asked us for prayers for Hortencia. But we know how much so many of you love this family. They have experienced many years of medical expenses for another member of their family and have spent a lot of money treating Hortencia for something that was a misdiagnosis. They have worked so hard over the years but this has totally depleted their funds. Now funds are needed in order to move forward and hopefully relieve Hortencia of this continuous pain.

We have the family’s permission to setup this page in order to offset some of their medical expenses.

We appreciate any help you can provide, whether it be a monetary donation, prayers, messages of encouragement or stopping by the shop to make some purchases.