The Humanitarian of Chiapas: Sergio Castro Martinez

November 6, 2008
Note: Medical photos at the end of this posting are graphic, I warn when to go no further.

I had the privilege of spending the day with a humanitarian the likes of "Mountains Beyond Mountains" Paul Farmer. Sergio Castro Martinez has spent the last 45 of his 67 years building schools and working on other projects for the children and people of Chiapas. For the last 10 years he provides wound care for burn victims by making house calls in the mornings and seeing walk-in patients at his museum (more on that later) in the afternoon. He is still avidly involve with school projects as well.



I met him through a local Spanish school by inquiring about volunteering. This school provides volunteer opportunities but you have to pay*. I explained our vagabond situation and mentioned I would like to visit a medical volunteer if possible. Sergio is by training a veterinarian and an agricultural engineer who speaks 7 languages and is completely selfless. His knowledge and ability to take care of burns and skin conditions is on-the-job-training. The poor people of San Cristobal would otherwise not have their wounds cared for and many probably don’t due to lack of means. *Most of these “pay to volunteer” programs could not function without the monetary support of the volunteer. It is understandable when you see first hand the work needing to be done.

The morning rounds started at Sergio’s museum (photo right), I met him there and we took a taxi into the hills to see a 25 y/o Mayan female who accidentally burned herself in her father’s candle shop. A fire somehow started and in trying to put it out hot paraffin wax stuck to her right forearm caused severe 2nd degree burns. Her face suffered moderate 1st degree burns from flames that hopefully won’t leave her with any scarring, but possibly may leave dark patches. She did not speak Spanish but TzoTzil. Her wounds were very clean and healing well as Sergio comes to her home everyday to change the bandages.








Photos above: The patient lives in a shanty house above this candle shop.

Our second patient was an elderly woman who, due to complications from diabetes, had 40% of both feet amputated in the nearby metropolis of Tuxtla Gutierrez. Subsequently her right foot developed an infection. Sergio had to debride (remove) dead tissue and make sure the infection did not have an opportunity to track. This woman was under the impression that wound care and antibiotics would cure her foot. This was a challenging case for Sergio as her diabetes contributes to her lack of proper healing. See graphic photo at end of posting.

The 3rd patient was an 80+ y/o female with a large ulcerating basal cell carcinoma on her right temple. Sergio explained it was more dome shaped and now flatter and healing. I explained how we treated basal cells and surgical removal and graft would be best. Unfortunately, he treats with the only means available, hence this basal cell carcinoma will continue to slowly grow.

Our 4th visit was to care for 2 catholic sisters that had developed ulcers on their lower legs. One sister explained she saw a doctor that recommended amputation. She found Sergio and he’s been doing basic wound care and she has had slow progressive improvement. The other sister’s wound was small and almost healed.



The visit with our 5th and last patient of the morning was the most impressive. A taxi took us to the north part of San Cristobal down a gravel road. I saw a man hobbling toward us on crutches. Sergio stopped the taxi and out we went. This by far was the worst case of the morning. Sergio explained how this diabetic man developed a severe infection in his right great toe and he had to debride and remove part of the bone. Due to inability to buy insulin, this patient has lost part of his eyesight but somehow manages to get around. This man needs serious care for this toe (amputation at the base, diabetic control, daily wound care). This patient was on his way to a clinic to somehow get insulin. Sergio found him a cab, paid the cab driver and gave the man 100 pesos out of his pocket for the meds.



These boys cautiously approached as I waited with pt.#5. The pt enjoyed my photographing him and the boys were interested. I photographed them showing them in the LCD screen which they enjoyed. They spoke little English and were so proud to use it with me. They speak Spanish and TzoTzil fluently.











The poor live in homes we consider shacks. In a land 7000 feet above sea level, it gets below freezing at night. They burn wood for heat or have no heat at all. Woolen attire is best to keep warm.












Sergio opens his museum and sees walk-in patients in the courtyard from 4-7pm. This humble abode houses all the items given to him by the villages he has helped over the last 45 years. Items are well organized and neatly displayed in four rooms and in the central courtyard. It takes 1 hour to go through the museum and you easily appreciate the magnitude of this man's accomplisments in Chiapas. You will find numerous displays of native dress, pottery, statuettes, tools and animal skins. Probably the most impressive is a room that shows pictures of all the good work this man has done in his lifetime including pictures of the schools he has helped build and pictures of the various malady's that his patients have sought his help. Some of the photos are not for the sqeamish. The room also displays all of the various recognitions he has received from around the world. This man is truly a selfless humanitarian.
You can arrange a personal tour given by Sergio by calling him at 967-678-4289 (if out of country use country code 52) It is best to call around 3pm or 9-10pm, he asks for an insubstantial amount of 35 pesos person, after the tour you will want to give more.

Photos above: Sergio's museum and clinic, this courtyard has a tree with a family of hummingbirds.

Bruce put together a Paypal account to make it easier, in this modern world, for those that would like to directly donate money for Sergio's cause. We also started a blog for Sergio (currently under construction): http://www.sergiocastrosc.blogspot.com/ He receives donations from visitors but states it is difficult for him to receive checks from other countries, the Paypal account will make it easier. If you would like to donate go to "Contribute to Sergio's Good Work" to the right column of this blog.

SQUEAMISH? GO NO FURTHER!

Patient #1: The worse burn suffered by this patient was on the dorsal right forearm, the granulation tissue is coming in well after 1 month of care on this severe 2nd degree burn.

Patient #2: Bilateral amputation of feet, the right foot is healing slowly with daily wound care.



















Patient #3: Large ~6x5cm ulcerating BCC in an obviously dangerous area to excise. She really needs a Mohs surgeon to excise and graft.

Patient #4: A Catholic Sister with a large venous stasis ulcer, the brawniness reveals the chronicity of this problem. She had a couple of others not shown.

Patient #5. Jose needs to get his diabetes under control, an orthopedic surgeon for additional amputation, and wound care. All the wounds Sergio tends to are remarkably clean considering their environment. For almost all wounds he uses silver sulfasalazine, vaseline, sometimes neomycin and oil on the guaze to disallow sticking when he removes the bandage.

Sergio continues to work tirelessly building schools and helping these poor unfortunate people of Chiapas. To read more about Sergio go to:

http://www.diariodechiapas.com/news/121/ARTICLE/1874/2007-08-31.html

http://www.couleurmonde.com/spip.php?article264

http://www.heritance.org/projectprofile_mexico-chiapas.html