FMT in partnership with The Global Institute For Tomorrow (GIFT) brings you a Covid-19 “healer” from the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
Due to medical complications, José Cáceres was unable to stay at home when Covid-19 arrived in Venezuela.
As he had been previously diagnosed with gastric cancer, doctors had warned him that he could not risk the possibility of contracting Covid-19. Hence, an operation to treat his gastric cancer was imminent.
As Cáceres was very nervous and restless at the thought of the operation, his doctor, Dr Juan Marin Font, invited Cáceres to join him in prayer at the altar of Dr José Gregorio Hernández.
Catholic doctors and patients have always raised their prayers at the statue of Dr José Gregorio Hernández, with hopes that the local hero would intercede on their behalf to God.
Hernández was a highly-renowned doctor who lived in 19th-Century Venezuela, who treated the poor for free during the Spanish flu pandemic, and even donated medicines using his own money.
In June 2020, Pope Francis announced that Hernández had been beatified, bringing him another step closer on the path to sainthood.
Venezuelan doctors believe that prayer is essential for both healing the body and the soul. They accompany patients such as Cáceres when they pray.
Thankfully, Cáceres’ prayers were answered, as his surgery was a success.
Juan José Meignen, 33 is a specialist in Traumatology and Orthopedics. He is also a part-time amateur photographer, with a passion for animal photography and medical experiences. View his portfolio here.
‘The Other Hundred Healers’ is an initiative by the non-profit organisation GIFT. The 240-page, full-colour, hardcover book can be purchased here at US$40 per copy for a minimum order of 20 copies.
