My Story!

I'm Juanita, a person with a passion for helping others and seeing them smile. In 2012, at 13, I was diagnosed with TTP (thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura) and had to battle between life and death. I was then diagnosed with Lupus in 2020 (I was 20). At 13 I started to dream about creating something that would help others smile.

During those times there were many moments I felt alone, without not knowing what do, who to talk to, or whom to go to for words to lift me up. Even though I had many people around doing everything to see me smile none of them could understand what I was going through. In that moment I realized that we never understand what the other person is feeling until we go through it too. Finding someone that finally understood my feelings was a gift from above. The feeling of knowing that someone knew exactly what I was talking about was something unreal.

With this in mind, I have decided to create this space with the goal of helping children, teenagers and all those going through difficult times and in need of a hand. I want to help someone who needs to hear "I understand and know exactly what you are going through". I want to be a source of hope, a light in the darkness for those who need me and give back a little bit of what I received by giving a smile to those who need it the most.

Having a disease has changed my perspective on life, how I live and how I think. I love sharing my love for my life and sharing what I know and have learned. Juana Banana has been a nickname that makes me smile and puts a smile on me. I hope to make you smile through juanabanana.org

Mi Historia!

Soy Juanita, una persona con una pasión por ayudar a otros y verlos sonreír. En 2012, a los 13 años, cuando enfrente la batalla más dura entre la vida y la muerte mientras luchaba con una enfermedad autoimmune (purpura trombotica trombocitopenica) comencé a soñar con ayudar y con mi fundación. En el 2020 fui diagnosticada con Lupus.

A raíz de eso hubo muchos momentos en que me sentí sola sin saber que hacer, sin saber con quien hablar ni a quien acudir. Aunque tenía mucha gente a mi alrededor dándome amor en todo momento nadie podía entender por lo que estaba pasando. Ahí, entendí que no entendemos lo que el otro siente hasta que lo vivimos. El mejor regalo del cielo fue cuando encontré una persona que por fin entendía un poco de lo que sentía. Fue por fin sentir que alguien de verdad sabía lo que esto significaba.

A raíz de esto he decidido crear esta fundación con la meta de ayudar a niños, niñas, adolescentes y personas que estén pasando por enfermedades y necesitan una mano amiga, una voz que entienda lo que es pasar por eso y te puedan decir un “te entiendo” de corazón.

Quiero ser una luz de esperanza para todos los que me necesiten, ser una mano amiga y devolver un poco de lo que recibí por medio de sonrisas. Tener una enfermedad ha cambiado mi perspectiva de la vida, como vivo y pienso. Me encanta compartir mi amor por la vida, lo que se y he aprendido. Juana Banana es un apodo que me hace sonreír y por medio de juanabanana.org quiero hacerte sonreír!

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