From the Heart
For many of us, life is full of hard things. As we go through the bumps and bruises of life, we wrestle with physical and emotional needs and become more able to see the pain others are experiencing. We have safety nets in the US; even when they do not work perfectly, they exist. Government programs and charities provide medical care, shelters, food banks, and access to mental health providers. But while there are caring individuals in China and Mexico, there are not the same safety nets for these vulnerable children.
In the last few months, Philip Hayden Foundation has introduced you to Ángel, Fátima, and Matías in Yucatán, Mexico. Each of these has faced a medical need, creating hardship and pain for the individual and the family.
Ángel was hit by a car on his way home from work, breaking both his femurs. As the sole provider for his young wife and five children (two with disabilities), the family suddenly had difficulty getting enough food to eat, and no way to pay for the medical care needed for his legs to heal. So PHF partnered with a local doctor to provide for this young man and his family. Four months later, Ángel is still not able to return to his previous work. Instead, he sells items at the local market with the help of his children.
Matías, raised by a single mother, is in Mexico City recovering from two complex, lifesaving surgeries to treat his facial bone anomalies. A hospital and surgeon in Mexico City provided the medical care, and donors through PHF provided a sinus cavity prosthesis, travel expenses, and daily living expenses for Matías and his mama. It’s hard to imagine the hardship faced by this young woman, desperately seeking lifesaving help for her beloved son.
And finally, Fátima. Sadly, fourteen-year-old Fátima passed away in mid-February from her brain tumor. Fátima and her family are from Veracruz. She and her parents moved to Mérida so Fátima could be near her doctors and medical care. Her parents made the heart-wrenching choice to leave their other children in Veracruz in their grandparents’ care. They were able to find work in Mérida, covering their living expenses. But in her final days, Fátima needed to return to the hospital for palliative care; PHF was able to meet that need. Now Fátima’s younger sister is also showing signs of a brain tumor. Donors to PHF will provide access to medical care for Rosalía. Pray that early identification and intervention will allow Rosalía to survive.
Medical Needs in Mexico
In February, Matías and his Mama traveled to Mexico City by bus so surgeons could perform two lifesaving surgeries. Both surgeries, a sinus cavity reconstruction and a palate repair surgery, were completed successfully. Your donations to our Medical Fund made this possible. Thank you for your continued prayers and support for this young man through PHF.
Meet Emma. Emma is a two-and-a-half-year-old girl with an enlarged liver, probably caused by liver cancer. On March 7, her first liver biopsy will be performed. After the biopsy, she will receive a combination of eight chemotherapy or radiation therapy, depending on the biopsy result. Emma will need $4000 for the two necessary biopsies. In addition, Emma will need more funds for chemotherapy or radiation. Your donations to the PHF medical fund will provide lifesaving medical care for Emma. Donate now!
Developmental Disability Awareness Month
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), developmental disabilities are defined as impairments in physical, learning, language, or behavior. Some disabilities are visible at birth, but others are diagnosed when a child’s development is slower than normal in a single area, like language development, or in many areas.
These issues are complex, but Philip Hayden Foundation works with vulnerable children with disabilities to help them reach their full potential. PHF provides access to medical care and therapy, nutritious food, and mobility aids. Read more in our Stories of Hope.
Rui Rui Has Hope with Help From PHF and Hope Station
Rui Rui was diagnosed with a developmental delay when she was 3 years old.
Spend 1 minute with her and you’ll see how much she loves people. But she can only say a few words, and uses gestures and sounds to communicate the rest.
Rui Rui lives with her loving mama and grandma. Her baba (dad) works construction, sometimes gone for weeks on end just to make ends meet. By the time she turned 7 years old, she had still never been to school because of her special needs.
Raising a child who is “different” was starting to take a toll on their whole family. In a culture where different means less than, Rui Rui’s lack of verbal communication skills limited her opportunities to connect with those around her. It became clear as this mama shared her story that Rui Rui needed more than what she was getting from the community. She was attending speech therapy once a week, but it barely made a dent in her progress.
After enrolling in Hope Station’s Family Strengthening Program one year ago, RuiRui has shown significant progress! With the support from their 2 Family Sponsors, Rui Rui goes to therapy multiple times a week, and her family receives monthly home visits from the Hope Station staff.
“I remember that at the beginning of 2022, I made a wish, hoping that Rui Rui would become healthier and happier. This past year, Rui Rui was quite happy, happy in class, happy in bed, and I could hear her laughter when she went out for a walk at home. I think she is happy, so in 2022 our wish has come true.”
But there is still more hard work ahead for Rui Rui and her family:
“We are worried about her going to kindergarten, because her physical abilities are not sure yet… During the therapy process, we have learned that children like Rui Rui will have many functional problems to face. What needs to be improved next is her eyes, and I want her to undergo an examination, but she is currently very resistant, and it may take a long time.”
Rui Rui and her family are still waiting for 2 more sponsors, so they can get full access to the resources they need: quality parent training, special needs resources and equipment, community with other special needs families, and more.