Humanitarian
Hogar de la Misericordia
Winner of the 2005 Luis Elizondo Humanitarian Award

The Hogar de la Misericordia is an institution whose objective is to found, promote, and operate social assistance institutions that are intended for people with noncontagious terminal diseases, whose physical condition and lack of economic resources and family members, require free medical attention among their other needs like nourishment, clothing, housing, and basic care until their passing.

This association that was entrusted to Mrs. Esther Cueva de Sada in 1985 by Caritas Monterrey began operating when the support committee formed. Soon after, it started to receive donations from people and businesses, and it was funded by them and also from the events that were organized specifically to raise money.

All of this made it possible to renovate five abandoned houses in Guadalupe, Nuevo Leon. This was how the Hogar de la Misericordia received its first patients in December of 1985.

Later, the Hogar I began admitting patients that met the requirements who were referred by assistance institutions and hospitals to be cared for there. The urgency of responding to the needs of the community made the work consolidate because of the spiritual inspiration of Mother Theresa of Calcutta.

The board members soon realized the need to establish new facilities to help the ill in other parts of the city. It was because of this that in 1988, the Hogar II was founded, and is located in San Nicolas de los Garza, Nuevo Leon.

Thanks to the effort of the board members and the help of many charitable people the association could continue the process of expanding, and in 1993 Hogar III opened, located in Santa Catarina, Nuevo Leon. This new facility was made exclusively to care for orphaned and abandoned children that suffered from, noncontagious terminal diseases.

Currently, the Hogar de la Misericordia is an institution, recognized by the Mexican government. Thanks to the almost 21 years of its existence it has helped other organizations and institutions like Family Development, the José Eleuterio González Universitarian Hospital, the Metropolitan Hospital of Monterrey, and the neighboring states that do not have the facilities to care for the terminally ill.

The three facilities of Hogar de la Misericordia operate 24 hours a day every day. Each center has a doctor in charge, a Catholic order responsible for spiritual guidance and general supervision, as well as rotating nurses that cover the three shifts, therapists, cooks, chauffeurs, and housekeepers.

The Hogar de la Misericordia has cared for over 1,000 patients in these past 20 years. Currently, it is assisting over 90 elderly people between the ages of 70 and 90 and 30 children between the ages of 2 and 12.

The Committee of the Hogar de la Misericordia, winner of the 2005 Luis Elizondo Humanitarian Award, is currently presided by Mrs. Esther Cueva de Sada.