Nancy Bendon Bautista

 

Women's rights activist Nancy Bendon Bautista

 

When Nancy first told her story to our CAMTA volunteers, there was not a dry eye in the room. Financial difficulties after her first surgery to fix her femur meant recovery options were limited. Her options lead her to receive massages from a local man, when at 12 years old her trust in the medical system was lost, leading Nancy to stop perusing any treatment for her injuries and lived with the pain.

 

At 14 years old Nancy got involved with a youth group at her church and found her calling to help others. In 2015 Nancy underwent multiple corrective surgeries for her leg, while recovering from her last surgery in 2016 an earthquake struck Ecuador and Nancy, still recovering, left the hospital to help the victims of the earthquake. And her pain continued.

 

 

Nancy speaking to Sylvie Bedard and CAMTA staff

 

Nancy was week 2's first surgery and no one had an idea of how she would move us. Nancy and her husband now run a school for 7-25 year olds, teaching them ethical farming, environmental responsibility, self sufficiency, how to diversify their crops and increase income. Her daughter just finished her residency and is now a General Practitioner who teaches health and HIV prevention at the school.

 

Nancy told us “With the work CAMTA does and the love CAMTA gives, she believes there is hope. And she will tell the women who have been through a hard time that there is hope...”.

Rosie the Riveters

An emotional moment of hope

Sylvie Bedard and Nancy Bendon Bautista