Rizamol’s Story: Bringing Healing to the Least, the Lost, and the Last
A Family’s Fight: Confronting Clubfoot’s Challenges
Since she was little, Rizamol has faced many challenges. She was born with clubfoot, a condition where both of her feet turned inward and downward. Two of her brothers, Pedring and Crisano, were also born with the condition.
Walking was difficult, and Rizamol’s father had to carry her to school. She felt so ashamed of her condition and was subjected to so much bullying that she eventually 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.”
Lydia and her husband, Ferdinand, are diligent corn farmers who work hard to support their nine kids. They did what they could to help Rizamol’s clubfoot condition, including diligently massaging her feet every day when she was a baby in hopes of correcting the issue. Their attempts were unsuccessful.
The family faced significant challenges in accessing the necessary medical care due to their remote location from the hospitals and their limited financial means. Living an hour away from the nearest medical facility amid challenging mountainous terrain and with scarce transportation options posed a significant hurdle for them.
Destined for Healing
In 2022, God led the family to Tebow CURE Children’s Hospital of the Philippines (Tebow CURE) through a patient screening in their area. That screening marked the beginning of a transformative journey. With the assistance of local government units, Rizamol and her siblings were identified to receive surgery at CURE at no cost to their family—thanks to the generous support of our donors!
At Tebow CURE, Rizamol underwent two life-changing surgeries and received the treatment she needed to straighten her feet. The journey wasn’t easy and, in addition to surgery, involved extensive casting treatments that took several weeks and months of physical therapy. Despite the challenges of traveling long distances to the hospital and enduring rigorous therapy sessions, Rizamol remained steadfast in her pursuit of healing.
Stepping into a New Life and Identity
After two years of treatment, Rizamol can now walk confidently, no longer hindered by her previous physical limitations. Pedring and Crisano also had their clubfoot corrected at Tebow CURE. The siblings are no longer subject to bullying and ridicule because of their conditions.
Rizamol and Crisano have resumed their education and are now classmates in second grade, while Pedring is getting ready to enroll in the Alternative Learning System—an option for older children to continue their studies.
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 that she’s happy.”
Rizamol fondly remembers her most memorable experience during her hospitalization—Night to Shine, a prom event sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation for teens with special needs and patients treated at Tebow CURE. “They booked us at a hotel and gave us clothes, which were all first-time experiences for me,” Rizamol shares.
She also expresses her gratitude to the local government for helping the family secure transportation to her hospital appointments and to Tebow CURE’s compassionate staff for making her healing possible.
Thinking back on her family’s journey, Lydia shares a moment of honest reflection: “There was a time when I asked God why this had to happen to my children.” Her sincere question mirrors the common search for meaning in challenging circumstances. But now, those same questions have become a source of newfound hope and stronger faith as she witnesses her children fully healed.
At Tebow CURE, we follow Jesus’s example of reaching out to the least, the lost, and the last. We strive to serve those families and patients living in the remotest parts of the Philippines who have no access to essential medical care, ensuring that no one is left behind.
Join us in this mission of love and healing by supporting Tebow CURE. Your gift will enable us to continue reaching out to those in need, providing life-changing medical care, and spreading hope to the least, the lost, and the last in the communities CURE serves.
