The devastating earthquake of April 25 2015 left thousands homeless. Amongst those was 19 year-old Maite and his family – their house destroyed. Unfortunately for Maite, this was the second major tragedy that had struck him and his family in six months.
Maite lived with his parents and four sisters in Lamjung District. His parents are farmers, toiling the land to provide for their needs. Farming is not easy work and Maite’s parents often relied on him and his sisters to assist in daily chores.
It was whilst he was cutting grass for the animals on the edge of a cliff that the first tragedy struck. Maite lost his balance and fell over the cliff, severely injuring his spinal cord.
Nepal is not an easy place to live with disability and for young Maite, it was a tragic blow. With expensive surgery required combined with the family’s low income, his parents were forced to sell their only home.
Fortunately, surgery was successful in stabilising his spine, though Maite remained paralyzed from the waist down. He was able to return with his parents to a new dwelling that they had to build. At home however, he began to develop pressure ulcers that gradually got larger and deeper. Eventually he was referred to Green Pastures Hospital [GPH].
It was during his treatment at GPH that the earthquake struck, destroying the new family home. Maite spiralled into depression with news that his family had not only spent all their money on his treatment but were now living in squalor in a temporary shelter.
It has been a long road to recovery for Maite, both mentally and physically. The staff at GPH continued to help in this process through the provision of physiotherapy, occupational therapy, nursing, food and accommodation. With additional counselling, he slowly began to regain hope once again for his future and is grateful to the staff at GPH and to his mother for their constant love, care and support.
“I have improved a lot because of the quality services and care that the hospital has provided to me”.