Making Medical History: CURE Zimbabwe’s First Pediatric Toe-to-Finger Transplant
Patience still remembers the shock she felt when she first saw her newborn daughter Blessings—born with a thumb but no functional fingers on her left hand. “I didn’t know where to turn for help,” she admitted.
As Blessings grew, the challenges became clear. She struggled to pick up objects, help with chores, or do simple tasks. “It worries me—what happens when I’m not around anymore?” Patience wondered.
In Zimbabwe, where they live, Patience could not find a hospital equipped to perform a surgery that would allow Blessings to be able to use her left hand. Determined to find a solution, she searched for doctors in India who could help. As Patience attempted to raise the large amount of money required for surgery in India, doctors in the capital city of Harare told her about CURE Children’s Hospital of Zimbabwe, where Blessings could receive specialized surgery at no cost to her family.
“This surgery is going to change my daughter’s life!” Patience said.
A First-Ever Surgery for Zimbabwe
In a groundbreaking procedure, surgeons at CURE Zimbabwe, along with visiting hand surgeon Dr. Jamil Moledina, a Consultant Hand and Plastic Surgeon at St. George’s Hospital in the UK, performed the hospital’s first toe-to-thumb transplant. Dr. Andrew, CURE’s Lead Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, explained, “For Blessings’s left hand to function, she needed another digit for her thumb to work against. The only place to get that is from her toe.”
Jonathan Simpson, the Executive Director of CURE Zimbabwe, emphasized how this surgery represents a major step forward for medical care in Zimbabwe.
“This surgery is a milestone for CURE Zimbabwe and for the country,” he said. “It’s incredible to witness history being made in our hospital, but even more incredible is knowing that Blessings’s life is forever changed. We are committed to bringing world-class surgical care to children who need it most, and this is just the beginning.”
During an intricate 13-hour microsurgery, the team carefully transferred her toe—along with its tendons, nerves, arteries, veins, and bones—to her hand, giving her a second finger. Surgeons had to perform a second, day-long emergency procedure to address a lack of blood flow. “Her hand will never look normal,” Dr. Andrew shared, “but the surgery will transform an unusable hand into one that can pick up anything, from a cup to a grain of rice.”
Because CURE’s surgeons are partnering with ReSurge International to actively train surgeons from around Zimbabwe and across other hospitals in the CURE network on the microsurgery technique, it means hope for more children like Blessings.
A Little Girl Forever Changed
Blessings opens a water bottle and demonstrates how she can grasp a tiny grain of rice—something she could not do before!
During a recent occupational therapy session at CURE, Blessings proudly picked up tiny plastic pins—thrilled to show off how she’s learning to use her hand.
“Who would have thought this was possible?” Patience marveled. “Just months ago, she couldn’t hold anything. Now, she can dress herself. She can easily put on her uniform and button it herself. I can see she smiles a lot now. Thank God for the generous donors. Please know how much we appreciate you.”
Here are three ways you can learn more about CURE and partner in our mission to change the stories of more children like Blessings!
Learn more about the types of life-changing surgeries CURE provides.
Become a CURE prayer partner—it’s one of the most powerful ways you can support the children and families we serve.
Make a gift that sponsors transformational surgeries for more children like Blessings.
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