Many, many years ago a young Dominican boy was struck with polio. The child struggled. He was paralyzed from the waist down like so many victims of the disease. His mother, Mary Perez, an incredibly energetic lady, took great strides to help her son. In the process she also founded the Centro de Rehabilitación Dominicana (the Dominican Rehabilitation Center) so many others in the Dominican Republic could benefit from what she learned and the resources she accessed to help her son.
Mary Perez de Marranzini single-handedly created a place where anyone could go for orthopedic assistance. Millions recognize her five decades of work. Among these, the government of Japan. Late last week, the Japanese ambassador to the Dominican Republic, Makiuchi Hiroyuki, presented a check for US$177,069 about RD$10.3 million to that young boy, now a major figure in Dominican industry, Celso Marranzini Perez.
The money will allow the center to use the latest technology in their Orthopedic Laboratory, by providing equipment for the design and manufacture of prosthetics and orthotics. The new robots and scanners for taking measurements will guarantee a more comfortable fit for the equipment and double the production capacity.
It is not the first time that the Japanese Embassy has donated to the Center. X-ray machines, musical instruments, and therapeutic equipment are just some of the items donated over the years.
Read more in Spanish:
Japan Embassy in the DR
1 November 2020