Lourdes - Neurosurgery Patient

As a care giver for the elderly, Lourdes Lopez has been helping others for as long as she can remember. In 2009, it was she that needed help. A rare cyst formed on her spine and caused her so much pain that she could no longer work, or even move around.

"I was praying to God to take me. The pain was so horrible I didn’t want to live," Lourdes said.

Loudes' daughter, Natalia, works in the medical field and knew University Hospital was the best choice for her mother to receive top-notch care.

"I didn’t want to go to University Hospital at first because I thought only poor people went there," Lourdes said. "But Natalia told me that they had the best doctors and the best technology, so I went."

It was one of the best decisions Lourdes ever made.

The physician-lead neurosurgical team operated on her and successfully removed the cyst. With extensive rehabilitation, she was able to walk again.

Today, Lourdes is enjoying a full and active retirement and thanks God everyday for her daughter's recommendation and her team at University Hospital.