05/03/2026
Lorena needs our help to see again.
Lorena is 38 years old and has Down syndrome. For the past 20 years, she has lived in the loving care of IDT missionary Johanne Mamzano, who became her foster mother when Lorena was a young adult after her mother passed away and she was placed into the DIF system. Over the years, she has become an irreplaceable part of our family.
Two weeks ago, Lorena lost her sight completely.
Her cataracts progressed rapidly and have now closed over both of her eyes, leaving her in total darkness. The change was sudden and devastating. Lorena went from being able to move through the world she knows to living in constant confusion and fear. Seeing the fear on her face when she cannot understand why everything has gone dark is absolutely heartbreaking.
Lorena has struggled with vision issues for some time. In September, she underwent surgery to correct the muscles in her eyes and fix her severe cross-eye condition. The next step in her treatment plan was cataract surgery. At the time, we believed she would qualify to have that procedure done through the free clinics available here in Mexico.
But we recently learned that she does not qualify.
Because Lorena has Down syndrome, doctors need to place her under full anesthesia in order to safely perform the surgery. The free clinics that offer cataract procedures are not equipped to provide general anesthesia, which means Lorena cannot receive care there.
The good news is that Lorena’s doctor believes her blindness could be reversed with cataract surgery. With the proper medical care, she could regain her sight and return to the life she knew.
But without these surgeries, Lorena will remain blind for the rest of her life.
Lorena is one of the sweetest souls you could ever meet. Even though she is 38, she lives with the joyful innocence of a child. Her birthday is the most anticipated day of her entire year. Every year she excitedly tells everyone she meets that she is turning 9 and invites them to her party. Opening her gifts is her favorite part.
She is full of love, laughter, and pure joy.
Right now, she is scared. The world she knew has disappeared.
We are asking for help to raise the funds needed for Lorena’s cataract surgeries so she can see again. Any donation, no matter how small, will bring her one step closer to getting her sight back and living without fear.
If you are unable to donate, sharing this fundraiser would mean the world to us.
To donate please visit Johanne’s go fund me link in the first comment.
Thank you for helping give Lorena the chance to see again. 💛
