10,000 Disabled Persons on the go..wow!

SUCCESS STORY

Client’s Name : Judy Ann C. Salazar Age : 12 years old Sex : Female Address : Pk. Neptune, Telaje, Tandag, Surigao del Sur Type of Disability : Visual Impairment (Left Eye Blindness)

Client who suffers from congenital blindness (left eye only), is the youngest among the five children of Mr. and Mrs. Edito Salazar. Her visual impairment greatly affects her social being. She is shy to mingle with children of her age because of her physical appearance. Her parents and siblings are hurt to see her being teased because of her disability. But they give her the attention, love and care that she needs. Though they wanted to help her, they do not have the resources to carry out their desire. However, they do not lose heart.

It was a blessing that Loving Presence Foundation, Inc. in partnership with the 1st Congressional Office and the Provincial Government of Surigao del Sur sponsored the Cataract/Squint Surgical Mission on April 16-18, 2009 at Adela Serra Ty Memorial Medical Center, Tandag, Surigao del Sur. When her mother heard about the surgical mission on the radio announcements, she gladly brought Judy Ann to ASTMMC on the day of consultation with so much hope. The ophthalmologist recommended her for an artificial eye and referred her to LPFI staff for further intervention.

On May 8, 2009 she underwent social screening and was required to complete the requirements for LPFI assistance while the referral was being worked out. Our medical staff facilitated her referral in Butuan City after the requirements were submitted to the Office. Dr. Eduardo Tan, our partner ophthalmologist accommodated her and gave them further opinion regarding her case.

Finally, on the 5th day of November, 2009, she successfully underwent an operation at Butuan Doctors’ Hospital. This was in preparation of her artificial eye implant which will be scheduled on the 3rd week of November. Her parents were shocked to see the courage behind her timidity. She fearlessly survived the operation.

Her parents rejoiced not only for the success of her operation but also because she had her first menstruation on the day of her surgery. They were so excited that their youngest child will finally have an artificial eye now that she’s grown up.

The family is looking forward to a successful artificial implant next week.

A New Jestony

Jestony Gamboa belongs to indigent family. The source of living of parents is gold panning with an income of 75.00 Php to 90.00 Php which could not suffice for the family’s daily needs.

One day the teacher visited her cousin at Agotay, Tambis, Barobo, Surigao del Sur. She discovered Jestony being left alone in the house. The teacher coordinated the parents for their child’s condition and was convinced to enroll their child at San Francisco, Special Education Learning Center.

The child was on a zero grade in terms of his academic and daily living skills mobility and even in his orientation and mobility on his earlier days in school. He always spitted on the floor, would not hold crayons, pencils and he was a very wild pupil. After thorough assessment and educational training conducted by his teacher, Jestony is now able to answer questions well asked during recitation and even answers well if asked by anybody else. He responds in a very nice way, easily memorized songs, and poems. He can count numbers by 1’s, 2’s, 5’s, tens to 100 and can even write and read it. He can also follow instruction if given and can be relied to finished assigned tasks. He can travel from school gate to classroom without partial assistance and can buy food or snacks at the canteen independently. He can read simple words and simple sentences.

As of this time he can write letters but guided with the teacher because he will not follow lines and his worked is crooked because he is severe low vision.