This blog site documents the journey of six-year old Dora who traveled to the U.S. from Ecuador on June 12th for urgent orthopedic surgery for her badly broken leg. Her care is being provided at no charge by Shriners Hospital in Springfield, Massachusetts. For a true account of the life-changing experiences these children and all that come together to help them encounter, please click below.

http://doracepeda.blogspot.com/

Wahida is a 13 year old girl from Kabul, Afghanistan who fell off of a bridge two years agon and broke her jaw. Without access to proper medical care, Wahida's jaw has set so that she is unable to open her jaw more than one inch and she suffers from continuous pain. Wahida recently lost her father and her mother is unable to support her and her siblings, so she stays in an orphanage in Kabul where she studies and is given regular meals. Wahida is waiting to come to the United States to finally receive the specialized medical care she needs from a skilled oral surgeon.

UPDATE: Through the generous assistance of the Ray Tye Medical Aid Foundation, Wahida will undergo her surgery on February 26, 2009 at Jacobi Medical Center, Bronx, New York. She has become close with her host family, Melissa, Alan, Alison and Andrew Shapiro and their dog, Tanner.

Bryam comes from Cuenca, Ecuador, in the impoverished heart of the southern Andes Mountains.  Poverty was strike one against him.  Bryam was born with painful and debilitating club feet.  His medical condition was strike two.  Bryam’s father abandoned the family when Bryam was barely one year old.  That was strike three. 

Bryam’s mother, Gloria, was 27 years old and single, raising Bryam and his sisters Jessica and Jackeline.  They lived in a mud home, together with her grandparents.  Gloria fed and clothed and paid for schooling her children by washing clothes by hand.  She brought home $80 a month.  If you buy a newspaper and two cups of coffee every day, you spend more in a month than Gloria earned.

But Gloria didn’t believe in three strikes and you’re out.  Without corrective surgery, Bryam would never be able to hold a job and was almost certain to spend the rest of his life begging for food in the streets.  And Gloria could never afford to get Bryam the treatment he needed.  But she knew that there had to be an answer, a way to help her son. She was right.   

In March 2005, Gloria asked for help from our international partner Fundacion El Cielo Para Los Ninos de Ecuador (The Sky Foundation for the Children of Ecuador).  El Cielo  referred Bryam to Healing the Children along with assistance from Corazon A Corazon (The Heart to Heart Foundation) in New York City.

That’s when the International Inbound program of Healing the Children Northeast, Inc., sprang into action.  We’ve learned from experience that the key to success is a host family willing to take the family in while the child receives treatment.  Coming to the U.S. from one of the world’s poorest countries is a big step under the best of circumstances; when a young child is being operated on, it can be downright scary. Luckily for Bryam and Gloria, her uncle José A. already lived in Jackson Heights, in the New York City borough of Queens, and opened his home to her and Bryam.  We contacted Shriners Hospital for Children in Springfield, which quickly accepted Bryam’s case, meaning the cost of the surgery would be 100% free. 

And so began their journey to the United States.  Healing the Children contacted the American Airlines Miles for Kids program, which donated the flight, and Brian arrived in November 2005.  In his first consultation at Shriners, shortly after his arrival, Bryam had corrective casts placed on his legs.  Our volunteer Rudy Rodriguez, ever generous with his time and resources, routinely drove Bryam and Gloria from Queens, New York to Springfield, Massachusetts.

Over the next few months, Bryam had several more fittings for new casts.  Then, in March 2006, almost a year to the day after Gloria reached out for assistance, Bryam A.'s first operation was a success. 

May 11th was a very big day in Bryam’s young life.  On May 11th, he took his first steps on his “new feet.”  When the doctor removed the casts from his feet and asked if he needed help, Bryam exclaimed, “I am big and I can do it myself and I going to walk.” 

And he did. What a distance Bryam A. has traveled.  In barely over a year, with the help of Healing the Children – and because people like you have funded our efforts – he has traveled thousands of miles and made progress beyond his mother’s wildest dreams for him.

According to the old saying, every journey begins with a single step.  But in Bryam’s case, a single step could begin only after a long journey.  You made that possible for him.  And we hope you will continue to make the same kind of journey possible for many more children like Bryam. Bryam has walked his way into our hearts as he is certain into yours    

Brandon was injured at five months of age, due to a fire that occurred while he was sleeping in his crib.  Brandon’s face, head, arms, legs and chest were disfigured due to burns and resulted in the amputation of his left arm.

Brandon comes from Masagua, Guatemala.  Brandon’s mother is raising her son alone.  In October of 2002, Brandon and his mom ‘Susannah’ – then only 19 years-old, came to the U.S. after being accepted for free medical treatment at Shriners Burn Hospital Boston.  Over the years, Brandon has had reconstructive surgery to help reform his face, create web extensions in his right hand for movement and dexterity, as well continued grafting to help create a hairline and mouth.

At five years-old, soon to be six in September, Brandon is a spunky, active and happy child.  Like a typical 5-year-old boy, he enjoys cops and robbers, Lego’s and playing on the computer.  This fall, Brandon will be entering 1st grade at a local private school, and with his Boston accent, exclaimed he’s ‘going to college.’  Last Spring, Brandon graduated from kindergarten, and ‘college’ is all he’s been talking about ever since.

While Brandon and Susanah have had a very supportive network of friends over the years, they face many challenges in their upcoming future.  Brandon will require continued treatment in order to correct some of the scarring from the burns he suffered, which will necessitate a longer stay in the States for Brandon and Susanah.  Brandon is such a special case, looking forward to a bright and happy future.  Support for Brandon would assure that this happens – and someday perhaps, we really will be sending him off to college.

Juan Fernando A. is proof that our spirit will always be stronger than our body.

Many mothers say that the first thing they do when they give birth to their child is to count the fingers and toes of their child. However, Dora H.'s son, whom she named Juan, did not have fingers nor toes, since all of his extremities were missing.

The doctors at the hospital told Dora that she did not have to take her son home if she did not want to.  She could leave him abandoned at the Hospital, where they would "experiment" on him and eventually send him to live in an orphanage.  However, this was not to be considered by Dora.  This was her son, she had carried him for nine months and she was determined to give him every opportunity she could to make it in life.  She knew that her son could make it.

Juan Fernando is now 12 years old.  Despite his limitations, he is a happy, go lucky child, who never allows anyone to pity him or look at him strangely.  He never complains about his condition, he writes, draws, dances, jumps, plays soccer and does everything that a  "normal" child his age does.  Things which seemed impossible when he was born those 12 years ago come naturally to him now.

Juan lives with his mother, grandmother and his little brother, Sergio.  Theirs is a close knit, supportive family that have searched everywhere for Juan's medical treatment.

Juan's paternal grandmother lives in New Haven , Connecticut , and she found Healing the Children Northeast, also in Connecticut .  She contacted the HTC office and requested help for Juan.   Mary Tracy and Beth Ruscoe  began the arduous search to get Juan his medical care.  They went to the Connecticut Children's Medical Center who agreed to evaluate Juan and see if prostheses could be fitted on his limbs.

Juan arrived in the U.S. two months ago and immediately went to the CCMC.  While doctors were very optimistic about Juan's ability to be fitted with the prosthetic limbs, they realized that it was not going to be an easy thing to do.  Juan needed some surgeries on his limbs in order for the prosthetic devices to fit properly.

Healing the Children secured the prosthetic devises for Juan free of charge from Hangar Prosthetics and Orthotics, Inc.  All of the physicians involved in Juan's care also provided their services free of charge.  However, the hospital needs to be reimbursed for the amount of time he will spend in-house. This cost is $15,000.  HTC and Juan's family are searching everywhere for a donor who will provide these funds.  

It would be a wonderful Christmas gift for Juan if he were to receive his prosthetics this year.

Although in his hometown of Medellin , Colombia , most people do not know him; his case has been on many television programs and in many newspapers.

Juan has even met the players of the local soccer team -Atletico Nacional.  He and his brother were given autographed balls by the team.  Juan has become a hero in his neighborhood, as the team visited him at his home.

I t is now 9:30 p.m. in Dora's home.  Juan interrupts his mother who is on the phone:  "Mom, aren't you going to help me with my homework?"  "Hold on Juan, wait a second, I am busy."

Quietly Juan gets his bag, takes out his notebook and with his stumps he grabs a pencil, which he accommodates well under his chin, ready to do the homework.

His mother finishes her conversation and prepares to help her son, who does not need any extra motivation to study, he loves school.  As he puts it, "they love me there."

They both get busy and Juan looks at his mother and says, "Mami, why don't I have legs and arms?"

"Do you want to hear the story?” says his mother.

"Yes," replies Juan.  Dora goes on to tell the following:

"Before you were born, God was delivering babies to all the moms, who saw you and wanted you.  They were all fighting for you.  But I begged God to give me you, I wanted this gift.  I wanted to be your mom.  However, God told me no, because you were a very special child and he could not give you to just anyone.  To be your mother I would have to love you and take very good care of you because you did not have arms and legs.  YOU needed a lot of attention,"  He said.  He asked me, "Can you give this special child all the love he deserves?"  I said yes and begged and begged until He finally gave in and gave me the biggest prize in the world: YOU!"