Help youth in the Eastern Caribbean region walk!

Aaron had spent his life struggling with the burden of an unfused hip - - blood flow in his hip and leg was not being facilitated properly. Over time, Aaron’s symptoms worsened and it became more and more difficult for him to maneuver the hilly landscape of St. Vincent. Aaron was full of hope and expectation when joint specialist Dr. Fred McGlynn joined the IHC surgical team in St. Vincent last November. Aaron would finally have the opportunity for a total hip replacement and to live a normal life. Just before entering the operating room, he exclaimed to IHC nurses “I’m just so happy to be here!” Aaron sailed through post surgical recovery and, thanks to your support of IHC’s volunteer orthopedic team, continues to do well in St. Vincent. He has even become an active member of the Dove Club, a group of past IHC patients who provide social support for current patients. Aaron greets incoming surgical teams when they arrive on St. Vincent and provides guidance to children preparing for surgery. With the help of your continued generosity, IHC’s surgical orthopedic team will travel to St. Vincent again this November to provide follow-up care for patients like Aaron and provide surgical treatment for newly identified patients. I look forward to sharing additional progress reports with you as well as stories of children healed because of your kindness.

Did you know there are no pediatric orthopedic surgeons in St. Vincent or the surrounding region? A child with an orthopedic disease or deformity has no hope for receiving care without International Hospital for Children and would suffer and be unable to live full lives. Many would never have full mobility. Your generous support has sent hope and healing to these children by helping us mobilize IHC's volunteer pediatric orthopedic surgeons. Just one of these children is 8-month-old Briandel who recently had surgery to correct club feet. On behalf of children like Briandel who will grow up to walk normally, thank you!