Chilean mother walks to raise funds for son’s medical treatment

“Thanks to everyone's support, I have achieved what seemed impossible," said Camila Gómez, a 32-year-old mother from Chile, who has been walking over 1,000 kilometers for the past month to raise money for her five-year-old son's medical treatment.

On Monday, Chilean media, including BioBioChile, reported that Gómez embarked on a journey on foot to cover the medication cost for her son, Tomás Ross. She started her trek from Ancud in the Los Lagos region on April 28, aiming to walk approximately 1,300 kilometers to the capital, Santiago.

According to local reports, Ross suffers from Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a rare and severe genetic disorder affecting muscle and nerve function. The disease significantly weakens muscles, making walking and daily activities extremely difficult. While there is no cure, treatment costs are reported to be in the billions of pesos. With no other options, Gómez set out on her journey to raise 3.5 billion pesos (about 5.3 billion won) for her son's treatment.

Gómez is scheduled to meet with Chilean President Gabriel Boric on Wednesday upon her arrival in Santiago. She plans to present a letter detailing the challenges faced by patients and families dealing with rare diseases. Following this meeting, Gómez intends to use the funds raised to seek specialized medical care for her son in the United States.


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