I come from the province of Bocas del Toro, in the Northwestern part of Panama. It is, among with Darien (famous for its gap), one of the two most forgotten provinces by our National Government.

Unknown to most people, Bocas del Toro is composed by 9 main islands and thousands of islets, including areas of very hard access specially the mountains, where the population is composed by indigenous people; with lack of access to healthcare facilities and information.

Bocas del Toro is also prone to natural disasters including tropical storms, quakes and landslides, putting a damper on road and access projects by local companies in order to provide temporary solutions to the lack of transportation options.

This is exactly why people in my province have suffered the fate of losing family members because of the lack of proper medical care, and clinics to aid people with acute and chronic conditions.

When my mother was 1 year old, she lost her mother to respiratory failure. She suffered from asthma, an illness that runs in my family, and that my mother also inherited.

Factors around my province favor the condition of respiratory illnesses among the local population, specially children under the age of one! This is one of the main reasons I decided to become a Respiratory Therapist, a title I proudly achieved in late 2022 after hard hours of study.

In alignment with my altruist nature, I decided to use my title and voice to raise awareness about the malpractice of local plantation companies, who carry out aerial fumigation of pesticides in populated places for the sake of profit, as well as helping those in remote areas to become aware of their health level and how they can get help and treatment for their ailments.

In One Breath, One Life, I organize everything from workshops, training medical personnel and getting donations, to improve the health of my people, of any age range. Let them know that this is something that does not have to haunt them for life.

I'm also approaching large companies to change their practices and adopt more sustainable solutions and recycling habits so they can care for their crops without harming the locals. Even if there is a long road ahead, step by step, one action at a time, we are already winning!