Clubfoot Kept Rizamol from School—After Surgery, She’s Back!

When Rizamol was an infant, each night her parents, Lydia and Ferdinand, would wrap their work-weary hands around her tiny feet and gently massage them with their fingers. It was a routine performed out of desperation. They were trying to reverse—or at least stop—the unnatural curvature they saw in her feet. 

But it was no use. Like her older brother Pedring (and later her younger brother Crisano), Rizamol was born with bilateral clubfoot—a life-limiting condition affecting the bones, muscles, tendons, and blood vessels of the feet. Unfortunately, the condition caused Rizamol’s feet to curve painfully inward and only worsened as she aged. 

A Family’s Fight

Amid challenging mountainous terrain in a remote part of the Philippines, Lydia and Ferdinand worked diligently as maize farmers to support their growing family. But due to their remote location, scarce transportation options, and limited financial means, they couldn’t access the medical care necessary to correct Rizamol’s clubfoot.

So, Rizamol continued to grow, experiencing more and more of the effects of her disability.

Walking was difficult for Rizamol, so Ferdinand paused his farming duties every day to carry her to school. Eventually, she felt so ashamed of her condition and was subjected to such harsh bullying that she dropped out.

Her mother, Lydia, recalls their hardships: “At the age of seven, Rizamol was still in pre-school but dropped out because, aside from the fact that the school is far from where we live, she also had trouble walking and felt ashamed of her condition.”

Not attending school broke Rizamol’s heart. And without it, she had a limited chance for a successful, independent future.

The family felt hopeless. Until CURE came to them!

CURE = Hope

When Rizamol was ten years old, Tebow CURE Children’s Hospital of the Philippines (Tebow CURE Philippines) held a patient screening near her home. These screenings are an essential part of our mission to reach the children on the margins of society without access to the healthcare they need to enjoy healthy childhoods.

The family attended the screening, where they learned CURE’s doctors could correct Rizamol’s feet. CURE’s medical team referred her (and her brothers) for clubfoot surgery at the hospital. Suddenly, their futures looked a lot brighter!

With the assistance of local government units, they were transported to CURE for surgery at no cost to their family—thanks to the generous support of donors.

At the hospital, Rizamol first underwent months of serial casting on her left foot to prepare it for surgery. During her visits to Tebow CURE Philippines, the compassionate spiritual ministry team offered emotional and spiritual support while sharing the story of Jesus with her and her family.

CURE’s highly skilled doctors then surgically corrected her foot and provided a brace to keep it straight while she healed and learned to walk on crutches in physical therapy. Meanwhile, she began the serial casting process on her right foot.

It was during this time that Rizamol donned a beautiful hot pink and teal chiffon dress and walked the red carpet with determination during Tebow CURE’s Night to Shine, a prom event sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation. The event is meant to celebrate teens with special needs and patients treated at the hospital, showing them they are loved and cherished no matter their abilities. 

The day after Night to Shine, Rizamol had another surgery—this time on her right foot. 

Looking toward a Clubfoot-Free Future

Despite the challenges of recovery, including traveling long distances to and from the hospital and enduring rigorous physical therapy sessions, Rizamol kept her focus on her main goal: getting back to the classroom.

She remained steadfast in her pursuit of healing, and today, she walks pain-free on her two straight feet! Now that walking is much easier, Rizamol enjoys helping her mom with chores around the house. And she also accomplished what she set out to do: she’s finally back in school!

Claire, Rizamol’s teacher, shares the changes she’s seen in Rizamol since having her life-changing surgery. “She had difficulty moving around, couldn’t participate in activities, felt self-conscious, and was bullied. Now, by God’s grace, her feet are okay. She can move around, engage, walk, and run. She wants to participate in classroom activities and socialize with her classmates, and I see she’s happy.”

The hospital’s staff recently visited Rizamol at home to see how she was doing. With tears of happiness streaming down her face, she thanked everyone who made her life-changing transformation possible—including the ultimate Healer. “I am grateful to God because He helped me,” she said.

We’re grateful for the many faithful supporters who enable CURE to help kids like Rizamol heal and experience the love of Jesus every day at our hospitals across the globe.