Cecilia Gálvez, a nurse supervisor with Compañeros En Salud (Partners In Health in Mexico), has been working tirelessly to support her community in Chiapas since 2014. Growing up in Salvador Urbina, Gálvez witnessed the challenges her family and friends faced in accessing healthcare due to the remoteness of the area and the cost of transportation. Determined to make a difference, she pursued a nursing career, working as a community health worker and clinic assistant while attending nursing school on weekends.
However, in 2024, Gálvez and her colleagues face unprecedented challenges as organized crime activity and instability have escalated in Chiapas, one of the poorest states in Mexico. Despite fear and uncertainty, Gálvez remains committed to serving her patients and community, refusing to abandon them in their time of need.
“It has been difficult to work under this situation of insecurity because it is discouraging,” Gálvez said in an interview with Partners In Health. “You can no longer work safely, knowing that at any moment your life could be taken away from you.”
Gálvez’s unwavering dedication to improving access to healthcare services and encouraging healthy habits among her patients serves as an inspiration during these trying times. She continues to prioritize self-care and relies on the support of her family and friends to navigate the stress caused by the ongoing violence and instability in Chiapas.
Read the full article from May 9, 2024: Confronting Injustice by Providing Care in Chiapas
Read a previous article about Ms. Gálvez’s nursing journey from May 9, 2023: Becoming a Nurse: The Education of Cecilia Gálvez
Watch this video about Ms. Gálvez’s nursing journey: