A Life Transformed by Dignity, Compassion, and Community Support
Edna’s life had been marked by hardship and abuse. From her early years in her maternal household to an equally painful marriage. We met her when she came to Vallarta Cares asking for help not just for herself, but for her daughter and three grandchildren. She was battling stage 4 cancer and had nowhere safe to call home.
At the time, she was living in her daughter’s house with her in-laws and son-in-law, who treated her with cruelty and disdain. Due to the side effects of her illness, including an odor caused by her cancer, she was not allowed to sit at the same table for meals. When the harsh effects of chemotherapy would hit, instead of receiving care, she was met with even more mistreatment.
Eventually, things worsened. Her daughter asked her to leave and sent her back to live with her ex-husband, who treated her even more brutally. He forced her to wash other people’s laundry to “earn her place” in the home, telling her she should be grateful not to be living on the street like a dog. So, on top of fighting a terminal illness, Edna also had to endure abandonment and abuse.
Yet, despite all this, Edna still thought of others. She came to our food bank asking, “Do you have a little fruit or something sweet for my grandchildren?” We saw her, thin and frail, struggling to walk through the hot, steep, cobbled streets of our community. Until one day, we told her: “You don’t need to come anymore. We’ll bring the food to you.”
From that moment, Vallarta Cares became her support system.
We provided not only food security, but also helped her access some of the medications she needed to manage her pain. We listened to her, comforted her, and designed a personalized support plan. We found her a small apartment where she could live independently and safely, somewhere she could finally feel at home. We covered the costs, made the space comfortable, and witnessed something incredible: Edna began to thrive.
She arrived weighing just 38 kilos, but within a few months, she reached 52. Her hair grew back. She smiled again. She felt loved, respected, and seen.
When the time came for her to stop chemotherapy, we assigned two of our wonderful volunteers to help her with daily needs such as bathing, cleaning, meals, and most importantly, to bring her companionship, joy, and peace.
Edna’s story is a living testimony to the transformative power of compassion and community. She is one of our greatest success stories not because her illness was cured, but because in the final years of her life, she lived with dignity, security, and love. That is what every human being deserves.
Though Edna is no longer with us, her legacy lives on.
Her life reminds us why we do what we do and why we fight for the most vulnerable. Her courage, resilience, and tenderness inspire us every day to continue our mission.
We will always remember Edna as the warrior she was.
