The sound of laughter filled the yard as children ran back and forth. Among them, María Fernanda Ramírez Gutiérrez tried to keep up. Like any three-year-old, she just wanted to play. Suddenly, one fall changed everything.
Her siblings thought it was just a scratch, nothing serious. “Get up, you’re fine,” they told her. But María Fernanda couldn’t move. A sharp pain shot through her body. When her parents rushed her to the hospital, the diagnosis was devastating: a severe fracture in her arm.

Why had such a simple fall caused so much damage? Her siblings had tripped and fallen countless times, yet nothing like this had ever happened to them. That day, doctors gave them the answer that would change her life forever—
María Fernanda was diagnosed with pycnodysostosis, a rare genetic disorder that makes bones extremely fragile, as well as causing other ailments.
Running, jumping, playing—things every child does without a second thought—had suddenly become a serious risk for her, all because of a condition that affects just one in a million children.

Before long, more symptoms confirmed her diagnosis. Her eyesight was weak, so she had to wear thick, high-prescription glasses—without them, she was practically blind. Her baby teeth wouldn’t fall out on their own, causing her unbearable pain. She had to have 12 teeth pulled, leaving her without part of her smile for a long time.
One of the biggest challenges in her life has been her height. Short stature is one of the most severe issues faced by people with pycnodysostosis.

María Fernanda is just 35 inches tall—far below the average for her age. She is now 12 years old. Her parents’ biggest fear is that she will be bullied.
Her father, Ramiro, has hypertension and diabetes. He has even stopped buying his own medication so he can afford consultations with specialists for María Fernanda—for example, endocrinologists, orthopedic doctors—because more than anything, he wants his daughter to be healthy and have a chance at a better future.

“I want my daughter to move forward, to support her in everything, to help her achieve each and every one of her dreams. I just wish she could grow a little more so she wouldn’t be teased because of her height.”
—Ramiro, María Fernanda’s father

Maria Fernanda and her family have been serving in our community for years. She has been an altar server since she was very young, and her parents are part of the Oblate Associates of Mary Immaculate – lay people dedicated to carrying the Oblate charism wherever they go.

They are a humble family dedicated to God. They sell goods at the market, and what they earn is not enough to continue paying for her medicine, which costs $400 a month.

The medication she receives helps her to strengthen her bones, so that she can grow more and her body can have a little more well being.
We ask for your prayers so that Maria Fernanda and all the children who have debilitating illnesses can be healed by the Miraculous Hand of Our Lord.

Find out more about this story from the voice of our community in the video below.