Meet Our New International Patient Ambassador, Juan Diego

Introducing Our New 2023-2024 International Patient Ambassador

Every year, Shriners Children’s selects a pair of International Patient Ambassadors to represent the healthcare system’s patients. The ambassadors share their stories of perseverance and the ways Shriners Children’s has made a difference in their lives. We are honored to have these impressive young people advocating for our healthcare system.

Meet Juan Diego

Juan Diego, 18, was burned in an electrical accident when he was 13, leaving his hands seriously disfigured. He spent more than a month in the hospital in his home country of Honduras. When he returned home, he was completely dependent on others for even the most basic tasks. He could not take care of himself, go to school, or draw or play music, two of his passions.

The Ruth Paz Foundation, a nonprofit organization in Honduras devoted to providing quality medical services to children, learned about Juan Diego’s burn injury and connected him with Shriners Children’s Boston. Four months after his injury, he arrived at the hospital in Boston. Some of his burn wounds were still open, requiring immediate attention from the acute burn team. Juan Diego knew the road ahead was going to be challenging, but he approached every day, every treatment and every obstacle with a positive attitude.

During his two and a half months in Boston in 2018, much of Juan Diego’s treatment involved intensive physical therapy and occupational therapy. He worked with therapists at least five days a week, sometimes multiple times a day. Occupational therapist Courtney Updegrove fabricated customized splints for his hands, enabling Juan Diego to relearn how to care for himself. He was even able to draw and play the drums again.