Miraculous Life Transformations

Todays journals were written by 2 of our earliest orthopedic surgery recipients! Truly amazing stories of life transformations.. Thank you all for being GIBTK!!!!

Dinh Thi Thu Ha’s transformation story

Nothing can express my gratitude to the donors and GIBTK organization for transforming my life. I grew up in an underprivileged family with 9 siblings and my parents are farmers in Quang Binh province. I was diagnosed with arthritis knees after a few months of birth. I could not walk like other children. I had leaned forward, put my hands down, pull in my knees and repeat to move. Later I was able to be mobile on my own by using my knees until I was in grade 10.

The miracle things came to me when the doctors at Da Nang orthopedic and rehabilitation introduced me to GIBTK organization. I had great chances to underwent 7 surgeries on my knees, thigh, ankle and legs from 2003 to 2008. After the surgeries, I am able to walk on my own feet and go anywhere I ever dreamt of. Knowing about my dream so GIBTK was accepted me to live at Lighthouse which is for female students. I graduated from Dong A college, majoring in accounting in 2013.After graduating, I returned to my hometown to apply for a job, but it was difficult for me to find a job in the countryside. Finally, I decided to stay at home and helped my parents with household chores such as cooking and cleaning the house.

In 2017, I got married and now I have two daughters. One is over 3 years old and the other is one and a half years old. I have learned a lot of new things when I have my children. I try to become a good mother. My husband is a bricklayer assistant and hired worker. Although our life is difficult, we do our best to bring up my children.

Without the unconditional love, caring and great support of the GIBTK organization, my life would be meaningless and not as good as today. I'm really grateful and appreciative for all the sponsors and the GIBTK organization had given to me. I wish the donors and GIBTK will develop and bring new Hope to disadvantage people in the society.

And Hanh whom I lovingly called clickety heels. When I first came to visit her after surgery. I came in and there was a small crowd near the door. Then I heard clicks of shoe heals. It was Hanh. It was the first time she had ever worn shoes! Sometime after she came to me and said “I need to apologize and ask you to forgive me? I lied to you about my age. The authorities told me If I told you I was 19, GIBTK would not have helped me.”  My response fighting back tears… I’m so glad you did not tell me the truth! Here is her story

I was born with orthopedic deformities on my feet, which prevented me from walking normally. My family was very poor and my mother passed away, so I could not receive treatment. I was living at that time, but my life was all in black, and being able to wear shoes like my friends was something floating up above the sky and a girl like me could never reach to. 

In May 2005, a group of doctors from Da Nang Orthopedic and Rehabilitation Hospital came to my hometown for an outreach. I was 20 years old back then, which meant that I was not in the target group of the outreach, but I was encouraged to go to meet the doctors, not knowing that my life would be changed forever. The doctors said my deformities could be fixed by surgeries, but I had to leave my hometown to go to Da Nang city. I was filled with fear and happiness when holding the surgery appointment letter. Not only me but my father did feel the same. We were happy knowing that I could be treated but afraid that we could not pay for the expense.

But that mixed feeling did not stay with us long. We were introduced to GIBTK who later told me that they would support me with all the expenses until the day I was fully treated. I cried and tears also filled my father’s eyes. These were not the tears of sadness like before. They were the tears of happiness. 

Having been through 5 surgeries and physical therapy, I was finally able to wear shoes! The thing that I used to think that I could never reach to. Being choked up with tears, I could not even say “thank you” when I met GIBTK’s staff. All I did was crying. I finally came back to my normal life, got married, and had two children. However, my kids, unfortunately, had club feet, but they were again helped by GIBTK.

Now my eldest son is in grade 7 and the other one is in grade 4. Every time I look at them walking to school like other children, I cannot stop thinking about GIBTK and feeling grateful to the organization. I used to be a worker at an electronic company in Da Nang but I have come back to my hometown. Now I am working at a clothing factory. Although I cannot work as quickly as others, I am living my life to its fullest. 

Robert Kalatschan

Giving it Back to Kids

www.gibtk.org

robert@gibtk.org