Tebow CURE Philippines: 10 Years of Helping Kids Heal
When Tebow CURE Children’s Hospital of the Philippines (Tebow CURE Philippines) first officially opened their doors 10 years ago in Davao City, they had an ambitious mission: expand access to much-needed care for the country’s 1.6 million children with life-limiting disabilities while sharing Jesus’s love.
Where does that mission stand today? An overwhelming success—thanks to the unwavering support of CURE’s many generous donors and partners, a dedication to innovation and world-class care, and a deep commitment to reaching more families in need.
And the mission only continues to grow!
“On our tenth anniversary, it is with much celebration that we are seeing so many more children on a daily basis,” says the hospital’s Executive Director, Peter Cowles.
Let’s explore 10 outstanding highlights from Tebow CURE Philippines’ 10 years of serving children made vulnerable by disability—including what makes the hospital an invaluable lifeline where care is most needed and often least available.
1. Powered by Partnerships: 45 and Counting!
CURE’s gracious donors are the key to our transformative work—these also include corporations, nonprofits, and ministries. At Tebow CURE Philippines, the Tim Tebow Foundation and the Sacred Harvest Foundation were instrumental in the hospital’s founding. Today, more than 45 other partners help keep the mission going, including guesthouses run by Our Lady of Victory Training Center and Seeds of Dignity Ministries. These ministries house nearly 1,000 patients and their families a year, reducing the burden of travel back forth for treatment. And in the past four years, the hospital has quadrupled their local corporate donors by inviting supporters to see their work firsthand, changing the lives of both CURE’s patients and those who champion them.
2. Helping More Kids Heal: 80,000+ Patient Visits
Here’s a big number for you: 80,000. That’s how many patient visits Tebow CURE Philippines has had over the last decade—giving kids with conditions like clubfoot, cleft lip/palate, knock knees, bowed legs, and other conditions the chance to live disability-free. One of the hospital’s first patients in 2015 was J-Vie, who was treated for a debilitating bone condition that affected his legs and made walking difficult. After surgery, he is able to walk longer distances and stand for extended periods of time. Today, J-Vie, 23, is fully healed and graduating from college (with honors!) with a bachelor’s degree in entertainment and multimedia computing. He plans to work in the gaming industry—something treatment at CURE made possible.
3. Trailblazing Transformation: 12,000+ Surgical Procedures
To date, the highly skilled team at Tebow CURE Philippines has performed 12,000+ surgical procedures—each one an opportunity to not only provide life-changing surgery but also share Jesus’s love, serving as the hands and feet of Christ for children in desperate need of care. We celebrate the thousands of young patients like Jocy who now enjoy greater mobility and the chance to run, jump, and play thanks to treatment at CURE.
4. Reaching the Underserved: 150+ Mobile Clinics
The Philippines is a nation of over 7,600 islands, including Mindanao—home to more than 26 million people and CURE’s hospital. The hospital’s mobile clinic teams travel by plane, boat, and car throughout Mindanao and occasionally to other islands to reach underserved communities with medical care and the love of Jesus. They have held more than 150 mobile clinics over the last decade, referring over 2,500 children to the hospital for life-changing surgeries. CURE’s partnerships with 140 (and counting!) Local Government Units help us identify and transport children for treatment—and are key to expanding care into new regions.
5. Tripling Our Staff—and 9 Faithful Employees
Tebow CURE Philippines is honored to have nine employees who have been with the hospital since opening day, when the staff consisted of 47 workers. Today, including contractors, the hospital employs around 180 people. OR Nurse Manager Ralp Paragili has been with CURE since the beginning and loves being part of a mission-driven community with a huge impact. “Every day feels purposeful because we’re changing lives—both physically and spiritually,” he says. “I take pride in growing with the hospital—helping to build systems, mentoring others, and upholding the quality of care we promised from day one.”
6. Excelling in Christ-Centered Care: 38,000+ Reached with the Gospel
In 10 years of service, Tebow CURE Philippines has reached an incredible 38,000 people with the gospel message, resulting in 15,000 faith expressions. From a child’s initial consultation—whether at the hospital or a mobile outreach in a remote mountain village—to their surgery, recovery, therapy, and follow-up, Tebow CURE Philippines’ staff shares Jesus’s love. This is done through Bible studies, spiritual counseling, one-on-one bedside conversations, and more. And the best part? Caregivers and families are cared for too!
7. Strengthening Communities: 496 Local Church Partners
Over the last 10 years, they’ve developed relationships with 496 churches across the Philippines. These churches are vital sources of spiritual support, providing Bible studies, discipleship, and worship services for patients and families. They also work to promote understanding and acceptance for those with disabilities within the community. Thirteen-year-old Shairene, whose bowed legs were surgically corrected at the hospital, and her mother, Septhea, were connected to a local church through CURE. The experience has strengthened their faith. “I can now feel that He is always there, constantly guiding us,” says Septhea.
8. Providing Kids with a Night to Shine: 700+ Kings and Queens
Besides helping kids heal, Tebow CURE Philippines excels at something else too: having fun! Since 2016, the hospital has hosted their annual Night to Shine event in partnership with the Tim Tebow Foundation. This one-night extravaganza rolls out the red carpet (literally!) to make children with special needs and their families feel like kings and queens. Approximately 730 honored guests have attended the event, with some families traveling more than 500 miles. Hundreds of volunteers from churches and organizations across Mindanao come together to serve for the night, powerfully demonstrating how the body of Christ celebrates God’s love for children with disabilities.
9. Launching a Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Program: 1,200+ Annually
Under the leadership of Dr. Andrew Hodges, Lead Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon for CURE International, the hospital launched a plastic and reconstructive surgery program in addition to their orthopedic care services. From 2020 until 2023, Dr. Andrew helped establish and grow the program, which now has three surgeons who perform more than 1,200 surgeries annually for kids with cleft conditions and burn scars. This important initiative has given kids like Rickmar, who suffered severe burns and lost his entire nose in a gasoline explosion, the chance to live completely new lives!
10. Leading in Comprehensive Cleft Care: 4,600+ Procedures
Did you know that in the Philippines, one in 1,000 babies is born with a cleft lip or palate? For many children, that means difficulty eating, speaking, and being socially accepted. But Tebow CURE Philippines is a leading source of hope and healing through their comprehensive cleft care program. In partnership with Smile Train, which provides a portion of the funds for every cleft surgery, the hospital has performed 4,600+ cleft procedures, averaging over 800 a year since 2022. CURE’s comprehensive cleft care goes beyond specialized surgery and includes nutritional counseling, speech therapy, and emotional support—all vital aspects of restoring a child’s confidence, dignity, and future after a cleft condition.
Forging the Future
Tebow CURE Philippines has exceeded expectations in their first decade of service and is looking to build the future through additional partnerships, expanded mobile clinics, and serving more kids with world-class surgical care every year. It’s God’s good work made possible with the support of faithful donors. If you’d like to help the hospital continue to expand their reach, please consider making a gift that brings life-changing surgical care and the love of Jesus to children with CURE.
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