A Crucial Update on Ruth: The Fight for Her Sight and Future

Introduction: Who is Ruth? For those who may not know about her, Ruth Andy Vargas is a sweet, vibrant 22-year-old Kichwa woman living in the Amazon jungle of Ecuador. Having completed high school despite incredible obstacles, her dream is to attend university and become a psychologist. However, that dream is severely threatened by Paget’s Bone Disease, which aggressively formed a tumor in the front of her skull, pushing her eye sockets apart, invading her nasal passages, and threatening her brain. Living in a remote region with no major local healthcare safety net, she faced this terrifying medical crisis without public insurance or accessible resources. Thanks to our donors’ past generosity, we have been able to walk with her this far—and now, we are closer than ever to the finish line.

Dear Friends and Supporters,

Ruth’s journey has now reached a critical turning point—bringing both a long-awaited milestone and some challenging developments. We reached our initial goal of raising $25,000 by our earlier Go Fund Me effort, combined with other direct contributions.

First and foremost: Ruth’s life-saving surgery is officially scheduled for November 12, 2026 at Hospital Metropolitano in Quito, one of the very best hospitals in Ecuador.

Coordinating care for a rare, serious and ever-changing cranial tumor from the remote Amazon has been an immense challenge. During these past months, Ruth had to travel from her home to consult with medical specialists in Quito and Cuenca. It took considerable time to find the right neurosurgeon capable of leading a multidisciplinary team for this very complicated operation. These necessary doctor visits, multiple expensive diagnostic tests, and travel all required funding. Meanwhile, we have appealed to various charitable foundations and government agencies for financial support, which has not been forthcoming.

The Urgency and Growing Risks

In recent weeks, as the surgery date draws closer, Ruth has again undergone an intensive battery of medical tests. Because the operation is exceptionally complex and the tumor in her skull continues to grow, change, and become more dangerous, the medical team needs an updated precise map of the area. Additional costly scans of Ruth’s cranium were necessary to achieve that precision.

In addition, because a significant portion of Ruth's skull must be removed to excise the tumor, a custom cranial prosthesis costing over $11,000 is required to replace and protect that bone structure. Also, we must secure funds for her immediate post-surgical care, which will include intensive monitoring and recovery in the ICU that could last anywhere from several days to a few weeks.

Tragically, the expanding tumor has compressed Ruth’s optic nerve to the point where the vision in her left eye has been permanently destroyed. Now, the tumor poses an immediate and serious threat to the vision in her right eye as well. Time is truly of the essence to save what remains of her eyesight, prevent brain damage, and save Ruth’s life.

Consequently, we have had to push for immediate surgery. Ruth's lead neurosurgeon responded and has assembled a highly qualified multidisciplinary surgical team to perform this delicate operation. The surgery will take place at the Hospital Metropolitano in Quito, where the most advanced surgical instrumentation is available.

How You Can Help

We are closer than ever to giving Ruth her future back, but we cannot cross the finish line without your help. The financial requirements for pre-surgical testing, the prosthesis, the specialized surgical team, and extended post-operative intensive care mean we urgently need your support to cover these escalating medical realities.

As we count down the days to November 12, our immediate focus has shifted to coordinating the logistical details—arranging safe transportation from the jungle, local accommodations in Quito, and the framework for her recovery. Covering these vital logistical steps is essential to getting Ruth safely through this procedure, and she needs our help now more than ever.

If you are in a position to give, every single contribution directly impacts Ruth's chances of a successful recovery. If you have already given, your generosity has brought us this far—can you help again? Also, please consider sharing this update with your network to help us spread the word as soon as possible.

Thank you for standing by Ruth, and for being her lifeline. We will keep you updated as to Ruth’s progress.

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Background and early progress

In February 2026, Laurel Nelson—who had established a free clinic in the Pastaza Province of the Ecuadorian Amazon in partnership with the local Kichwa people—introduced her friends to Ruth Andy Vargas.

For Ruth, living in a remote region of Ecuador with no local healthcare safety net or insurance for such specialized care, the doors to surgery remained closed without outside financial support. The campaign launched with an initial $25,000 milestone (part of a $50,000 total estimated need) to fund critical tests, medications and pre-surgery treatments, with all funds safely channeled through a U.S. based Capital One account, used exclusively to pay for for Ruth’s medical care.

Thanks to an incredible community of generous donors, meaningful and life-changing steps have been taken over the past couple of months: