By Roanfiel Andal | DTF Advocate - Philippines
Dwaine's dreams are so simple, yet so beautiful. She just wants to be that low-key, human nature lover making a living doing what she loves. Now she is free to do so.
Before her corrective spine surgery, Dwaine described her life as hard and physically uncomfortable. She felt trapped and not free. Her severe spinal curve reduced the amount of space in her chest and was the reason why it was difficult for her to breathe, not to mention the embarrassment of people staring at her because of her curved spine condition. Yet in spite of her scoliosis, Dwaine possessed a strong spirit and fought for her dream to be free of this condition.
The Duncan Tree Foundation (DTF) exists because of people like Dwaine and her dream. We have provided many adolescent patients like her with very expensive spinal implants and surgeries for free in order to help patients like Dwaine reach their dreams.
We were delighted to have celebrated our 13th anniversary on January 28, 2021. And since our scoliosis program kicked-off in 2012, the DTF has given 174 adolescents, with severe scoliosis, the chance to have normal lives, free of bullying, and long life without complications due to progressive spine curvature. The DTF also offered advanced training in complex spine case management for medical professionals in under-resourced countries, like the Philippines, where Dwaine is from, and in Jamaica.
Our organization hopes to continue this mission while expanding our focus into online education and training advocacy going forward. To bring healing not just to the physical but also to the emotional, spiritual and financial aspects of life, DTF will create and distribute content to a larger audience of under-served communities around the world. By educating young people, we are empowering them to make life decisions that are best for them and their communities.
We would appreciate it if you would share this progress report and support us in this endeavor by making a tax-deductible donation today. We realize your money is precious and that there are many great causes out there. Your donation will provide financial resources to help us launch future educational projects.
We welcome your support no matter how small so that we can continue to thrive and help other young people live out their dreams for years to come.
Please consider making a donation today to make someone else's dream come true.
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