Emiliana Rodriguez’s childhood memories are a blend of joy and sorrow, intertwined with the haunting specter of a silent killer lurking in the darkness. Growing up in Bolivia, she vividly remembers evenings spent watching her friends play soccer under the moonlit sky. But one fateful night, the game was abruptly halted by the tragic passing of a player, a victim of the insidious disease known as Chagas.
For Rodriguez, the incident cast a long shadow of fear over the night. In the folklore of her upbringing, Chagas was depicted as a monstrous presence that emerged under the cover of darkness, claiming lives without warning. This narrative became all too real when she learned that her friend had succumbed to this silent and silenced disease, one of the thousands who perish annually from its grasp.
Now, at 42 years old and living in Barcelona for over two decades, Rodriguez still grapples with the specter of Chagas that haunts her past. “The terror would grip me at night”, she confides. “There were times when sleep eluded me, fearing that I might never wake up again.”
Her own confrontation with the disease came to light eight years ago, during her first pregnancy. The revelation of her status as a carrier sent shockwaves through her, evoking memories of her childhood trauma. “I felt paralyzed with fear”, she recalls. “The thought of what might happen to my unborn child kept me awake at night.”
Yet, despite the looming threat, Rodriguez embarked on a journey of treatment to safeguard her child from the same fate. Thanks to medical intervention, her daughter emerged unscathed, spared from the clutches of the silent killer that had haunted her family’s history.
Rodriguez’s story is not unique. Across the globe, individuals like Elvira Idalia Hernández Cuevas of Mexico find themselves thrust into the unfamiliar terrain of Chagas disease. For Idalia, the journey began with a routine act of altruism, donating blood. Little did she know that this act would expose her to a hidden danger lurking within her own community.
“When I first heard the diagnosis, I was terrified”, Idalia recounts. “I had never even heard of Chagas before, let alone imagined that I could be its victim.”
Her experience echoes a broader reality, one where awareness of Chagas remains dangerously low, even in regions where the disease exacts its heaviest toll. Originating in the Americas, Chagas has since spread its reach to other continents, ensnaring millions in its silent grip.
In the face of this silent epidemic, efforts to combat Chagas are hindered by a lack of awareness and resources. Outdated treatments offer little solace to those afflicted, with medications often proving toxic and ineffective, particularly for newborns.
Yet, amidst the darkness, there are glimmers of hope. Champions like Emiliana Rodriguez and Elvira Idalia Hernández Cuevas are raising their voices to break the silence surrounding Chagas. Through advocacy and awareness campaigns, they seek to shine a light on this neglected disease, urging communities to confront the monster lurking in their midst.
As the world grapples with the challenge of eradicating Chagas by 2030, the road ahead remains daunting. But with each voice raised in solidarity, the hope for a future free from the shackles of Chagas grows stronger.
In the battle against this silent killer, knowledge is our most potent weapon. By arming ourselves with awareness and understanding, we can confront Chagas head-on, ensuring that no more lives are claimed by the darkness.
Abandoned dog left tied to fence on side of I-75 hours before Hurricane Milton hits
‘Please don’t do this to your pets,’ police said after finding the dog
Florida police found an abandoned dog tied to a fence on the side of a major interstate as Hurricane Milton races toward the state.
The Florida Highway Patrol in Tampa found what appears to be a bull terrier tied to a chicken-wire fence near Interstate 75 on Wednesday. The dog was already knee-deep in water when officers arrived, according to video shared by the Florida Highway Patrol.
“FHP Troopers rescued a dog left tied to a pole on I-75 near Bruce B Downs Blvd this morning,” the agency wrote on X. “Do NOT do this to your pets please.”
The animal is now safe with police.
Florida governor Ron DeSantis said anyone abandoning their pets in the face of the hurricane would pay the price. He tweeted: “It is cruel for anyone to leave a dog tied to a post in the middle of an oncoming storm. FL will hold anyone who mistreats pets accountable.”
Pictures released Monday showed a mother and baby orangutan huddling together, as well as workers lifting a porcupine named “Chompers” into a crate. The zoo’s flamingos were also put into the back of a truck and moved as a herd.
“The zoo has a comprehensive severe weather plan in place to ensure the safety of our animals and team members and will take all precautions as conditions warrant,” it said in a social media post on Monday.
Larger animals such as elephants, giraffes, panthers and bears have barns or night housing that are hurricane-proof, but birds and smaller animals are being moved to kennels, Sandra Torres, vice president of marketing and communications for the zoo, previously told The Independent.
Hurricane Milton is just hours away from making landfall in Florida. The storm’s intensity has fluctuated in recent days, weakening to a Category 3 hurricane on Wednesday afternoon.
However, the National Hurricane Center predicts it will be “one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida.”
High winds and storm surge are predicted to devastate the state. Many residents are under evacuation orders as the state braces for 18 inches of rainfall and up to 15 feet of storm surge.
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