*Donnie’s Story

Meet Donnie, a resilient individual who came to PADS Lake County as an undocumented immigrant from Honduras. 

Donnie’s journey was not without its challenges; he arrived with painful and bloody urine, and his high medical needs led to placement in our emergency shelter. It was later determined that he required kidney stone removal with a stent placement.

Navigating the healthcare system in a new country can be daunting, and Donnie faced the added stress of being undocumented, which meant paying for essential health services out of pocket before receiving care.

Enter Xiomara, our healthcare coordinator, whose unwavering support has been instrumental in Donnie’s story. She’s been tirelessly assisting him in obtaining his permanent residency card, a process complicated by his homelessness and lack of a stable mailing address.

In February 2023, Donnie had a stent placement that was meant to be temporary, but due to financial barriers, he couldn’t access the follow-up care he needed. Xiomara teamed up with a financial advisor at Vista to secure medical benefits through the state and connected Donnie with the Rosalind Franklin Interpersonal Care Clinic for essential primary care to manage his pain.

After almost nine months of waiting, Donnie is finally scheduled to undergo surgery on November 21st. This procedure promises to significantly improve his quality of life, bringing much-needed pain relief. With this new lease on life, Donnie is looking forward to rejoining the workforce and building a brighter future.