In places where medical resources are scarce, simple childhood accidents can turn into lifelong disabilities. This could have been the case for Eda, a charming and resilient 14-year-old girl from Malawi, who fell one day and unknowingly broke her right arm and leg. A couple days later, she began to feel intense pain and was unable to walk or move her arm. Eda needed immediate medical attention, but unfortunately, she had to wait two months before she got admitted to a hospital.
Even as Eda was experiencing intense physical pain, the social rejection hurt just as badly. People in Eda’s village ridiculed and judged her. They even told her to drop out of school because of her disability.
These are the barriers that children with disabilities encounter. Pain. Immobility. Rejection. It is estimated that 90% of these children do not attend school. Yet Eda remained strong and did not give up!
“The only way I can make it in this life is through education, and I knew what I wanted, so I kept going and working hard at school,” says Eda.
Finally, Eda was referred to CURE Malawi. When she arrived, the doctors acted quickly to address the bone infection, scheduling her for surgery. Her operation was four hours long. Bone infections are unpredictable and hard to manage, so preventing the infection from spreading can be extremely difficult. For Eda’s bones to heal correctly, the wound site remained open so that the nurses and doctors were able to keep an eye on the infection. However, the discomfort and pain didn’t faze Eda; she knew what God had in store for her!
“What I loved most about CURE was how the team welcomed us, cared for us, and had a very nice and clean bed, but on top of that, the people love to pray!… My life at CURE was amazing. I came to know Jesus and have faith in Him. Through that faith, I was healing, and my life is [changed]. I am happier, and my future is hopeful!”
After months of surgeries, recovery, and physical therapy, Eda was finally able to go home. More than two years later, Eda was walking and running!
“I’m very happy because my bone has joined together and now I am able to walk. Before my mom used to carry me everywhere. I’m so glad that I came to CURE,” says Eda.
6 Years Later
It’s been six years since Eda first arrived at CURE Malawi. Since then, she’s gone on to do wonderful things like finishing her 12th-grade exams and enrolling in nursing school! When asked what she plans to do next, Eda says, “I would love to work at CURE! That would be meaningful for my life as well as my family’s. If that happens, I can be a testimony for so many others out there.”
Your support changes the lives of many like Eda. Today, she can walk and pursue her dreams for further schooling, and she walks with Jesus, who makes a hopeful future possible!
About CURE International
CURE International is a Christian nonprofit organization that operates a global network of pediatric surgical hospitals, which serve one of the world’s most marginalized and vulnerable populations – children with disabilities. Patients at CURE hospitals suffer from orthopedic, neurosurgical, and maxillofacial conditions that limit their mobility/functionality and opportunities for education and employment. In addition to world-class clinical service, CURE intentionally ministers to the emotional and spiritual needs of patients in its care and invests in training programs that aim to equip the next generation of health workers and strengthen national health care systems. Since inception, CURE has conducted more than 5.3 million patient visits and 330,000 surgical procedures around the world. For more information, visit https://cure.org/.
