01/10/2024
Samanta's story- part 1, Guayaquil, Ecuador
At age 4, Samanta was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Samanta's mum, Carmen began a desperate search to find some-one who could help, and treat this life threating condition.
She reached out to Aracely Basurto Calderon, who had a connection to the AYUDA (American Youth Understanding Diabetes Abroad) program.
AYUDA were running children’s diabetes camps in Ecuador, Aracely was helping with camps and encouraged other poor parents, to get their children involved. Samanta and Carmen became regular
attendees at that those camps.
Meanwhile, an American friend of Aracely, Priscilla Schell approached IFL Australia, after a search on the internet.
Neil Donelan from IFL traveled to Ecuador in 2006 to meet Priscilla and Aracely, with the view of starting a diabetes children’s program with IFL.
Neil encouraged Aracely and Priscilla to start their own humanitarian foundation to help poor Type 1 diabetes children and their parents in Guayaquil, Ecuador.
Aracely became the founding President of Fundación Aprendiendo a Vivir con Diabetes (FUVIDA) in Guayaquil – Ecuador.
Since that time many camps have taken place, many children like Samanta have benefitted from these camps, and lives have been saved and changed.
