María Trusa is a symbol of hope.
The CEO of Formé Medical Center in Westchester, New York, Trusa helps Hispanics who lack insurance or are afraid of going to a medical center because of their immigration status.The Dominican Republic-born businesswoman has worked in the health area for more than 30 years. This experience educated her in the socioeconomic disadvantages that Hispanics face in New York State.
“Before becoming Formé’s CEO, I worked for many years at Scarsdale Medical Group. There, I worked with the region’s wealthy community,” says Trusa.
However, she had a different calling.
After a critical health episode, she decided to leave her job in 2015. She partnered with Gina Cappelli, and together, they created Formé Medical Center.
Formé provides comprehensive health services and offers dignified treatment to the vulnerable Hispanic community, especially those without Social Security or undefined immigration status.
To combat coronavirus, Formé has carried out more than 5,000 tests for COVID-19.
“We take care of the uninsured community during this pandemic. This community has a great fear of going to the emergency room. So, it has suffered the consequences of COVID-19 more than anyone. My partner and I visualized a COVID-19 and antibody testing center for those with the greatest need. So, we did it,” says Trusa.
At age 15, Trusa left the Dominican Republic for New York. She wanted to study, learn English, secure a better future and leave her traumatized childhood behind.
“When I was nine, I suffered from sexual abuse. It was one of the most upsetting experiences of my life,” she says.
“When you undergo trauma, you have several paths. There is the path of destruction, which can end all your possibilities. But you can also decide to stop trauma from destroying your life. I decided to move forward. Thanks to this experience, I became a fearless woman. When you lose fear, the doors to create and grow open.”
Recently, Trusa broke her silence in her first book, #Yo Digo No Más, which details both her childhood abuse and her adult success, sharing the tools necessary to achieve forgiveness and secure personal goals.
Trusa hopes to leave that legacy to future generations.
She is working on a movement also called #Yo Digo No Más. “I want to help break the cycle of abuse that many Hispanic families undergo, preventing them from growing. It is time to say, ‘no more’ and forgive, in order to heal.”
Trusa has been an inspiration to communities outside New York, too.
“María Trusa is an example of transformation and reconstruction. When I met her, I realized that she is a great woman, with enormous positive energy. She inspires you to leave behind what hurts you. She does not stop for anything or anyone. We need more people like her in this world,” says Mónica Ulloa, a clinical psychologist and family therapist who practices in Cuenca, Ecuador, and advises victims of abuse.
(Edited by Gabriela Olmos and Fern Siegel.)
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