Yercy’s First Steps: A Journey 18 Years in the Making
At Scalpel At The Cross, we believe life-changing care goes beyond surgery. At our Miracle Campus in Pucallpa, Peru, patients receive ongoing orthopedic care, rehabilitation, and the support they need to heal. Yercy’s story is a powerful example of that commitment.
A Journey of Hope
Yercy grew up in a remote jungle community along the Peru–Ecuador border, where access to specialized medical care is limited. One of nine children, she had never attended school and spoke little Spanish.
Born with two conditions affecting her legs, Yercy spent her first 18 years unable to stand or walk. Instead, she moved by dragging herself across the ground. Everything began to change when she and her father traveled by small mission plane to Pucallpa during one of our orthopedic surgical campaigns.
Diagnosis:
Yercy was born with two congenital deformities:
- Right leg: congenital pseudarthrosis (non-union) of the lower leg, in which the bones never fully joined, leaving the limb unable to bear weight.
- Left foot: congenital talipes equinovarus (clubfoot).
Unable to stand/walk, she spent 18 years moving by dragging herself across the ground. On examination, our surgeons also found a chronic, severely infected wound on her right leg.
Treatment:
Before surgery, our team made her father a promise: we would walk alongside them through every stage of her recovery.
- Surgery: amputation of the infected, non-functional right lower limb, and corrective surgery on her left foot.
- Prosthesis: once her surgical wounds healed, our prosthetist, Daniel Mueller, fabricated a custom prosthetic leg.
- Rehabilitation: four months of physical therapy and gait training at the Miracle Campus with our physical therapists, prosthetist, and medical director.
More Than Surgery
More Than SurgeryOur surgeons amputated Yercy’s infected right lower leg and performed corrective surgery on her left foot. Once her wounds healed, our prosthetist, Daniel Mueller, created a custom prosthetic leg. Then began four months of physical therapy, rehabilitation, and gait training at the Miracle Campus, supported by our Peruvian medical team.
And after 18 years, Yercy stood for the very first time.
Where She Is Today
Today, Yercy is learning to walk with her custom prosthetic leg and the support of a walker. She has returned home with her father but continues visiting the Miracle Campus for checkups, evaluations, and ongoing therapy.
Her recovery isn’t over, and neither is our commitment to her progress. Yercy’s story reminds us that true healing doesn’t happen through a single surgery. It takes time, perseverance, and a team willing to walk alongside each patient every step of the way.
Be Part of the Next Miracle! Every step Yercy takes is possible because someone chose to give.
Consider becoming a Miracle Worker for just $25 a month and help provide free orthopedic surgery, prosthetics, and rehabilitation to patients in the Peruvian Amazon, while sharing the love of Christ through compassionate care.
Your generosity can help make the next life-changing story possible. Become a Miracle Worker today!