I want to tell you the story of how Emily Collins and her vast knowledge and connections helped a children’s hospital in Texas get a Honduran teen back home to Honduras, and to her mom. Angie was a previously healthy teen girl from rural Honduras who journeyed on her own over several months to stay with her maternal uncle in Texas. She had not enrolled in school or worked a job but she had made friends in her uncle’s community. Angie had a history of headaches and fainting spells in Honduras but really no diagnosis or specific treatment at home.

About 6 months after moving to Texas, Angie became significantly ill with seizures and confusion and was hospitalized at a local children’s hospital. After an extensive workup, a diagnosis was made and she had multiple different treatments. Angie made some slow progress but significant deficits remained after a number of weeks. She no longer needed inpatient hospital care but she still needed full time supervision and care at home, as well as ongoing outpatient therapies, follow up, and medications potentially costing thousands of dollars. At that point, it was not known if (or when) she might get significantly better. Angie’s uncle could not care for her 24/7 without quitting his roofing job and there were no other relatives available.

Because Angie came to the US without going through the proper channels, she did not qualify for any US government healthcare programs, charity care, or any other resources that would pay for extensive home care needs. Her uncle could not provide much out of pocket and he would have no income if he had to quit his roofing job. Angie’s mother and siblings were back home in Honduras. Angie’s mom tried to get a visitor visa to come to the US but was denied twice because she could not provide any intent to return (like a letter from an employer or school).

We at the children’s hospital in Texas scoured the internet looking for any foundations or charities with a connection to Honduras who just might help Angie and her family. We were so fortunate to find Esperanza-Hope for the Children, Inc. and the names Dr. Tom and Emily Collins. We sent an email via the website and Emily responded within 2 HOURS! Our first successful communication! Over the course of the next several days, multiple emails and phone conversations took place. Emily was able to provide a connection at Hospital Escuela inTegucigalpa, and she reached out to a physician administrator there. Over the next week, we had multiple WhatsApp conversations with doctors at Hospital Escuela through our hospital translators in Texas and they agreed to accept Angie from our hospital to their hospital.

We had numerous hurdles getting Angie home as she had no passport. We had a birth certificate and a paper from the border patrol releasing her to her uncle. That was all but not near enough. The Honduran Consulate and Embassy were very difficult to contact both in the US and in Honduras. Not for lack of trying! Many phone call attempts later and we finally found an international agency in Honduras who was able to make a connection with the Honduras consulate in Dallas, and Angie was able to get a one-time-use passport to go home. Angie flew by international medical transport here in Texas to Tegucigalpa one Saturday morning in May and was delivered safely to Hospital Escuela where her mother met her at the bedside to continue helping to care for her in Honduras. Her medical future is still unknown at this point,
but we do know she is back with her mom who can help care for her going forward. We would
never have been able to start this process without Emily and Esperanza!

Written by: Deborah Hucaby M.D.