Issuu

A MAGAZINE SPRING 2022

COVER STORY

Love in action Displaced and orphaned by the conflict in Ethiopia, Abubeker finds healing at CURE. pg 8

6 On tour with Brant Hansen

18 Exclusive Q&A with Tim Tebow

CHECK-UP A CURE MAGAZINE SPRING 2022 CURE Check-Up highlights the lives of CUREkids from around the world and those who serve them. The stories highlighted here capture the physical and spiritual transformation happening around the CURE Children's Hospital Network. This is possible by God's grace and the role of partners and supporters whose participation makes a difference in the lives of the most vulnerable - children with disabilities.

CREDITS Editor-in-Chief — DEBBIE STOWELL President | CEO — JUSTIN NARDUCCI Head of Donor Relations — GREG FORNEY Creative Director — JOSHUA BEST Designer — SARA RECKNAGEL Writer — ALYSSA MIHALIK Lead Storyteller — JOEL WITWER

ABOUT CURE

table of

contents 03 04 08

CURE International is a Christian non-profit organization

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR A tour of hope from around the world

CURE NEWS Niger's first accessible playground, plus more

FEATURE STORY

LOVE IN ACTION Displaced and orphaned by the conflict in Ethiopia, Abubeker finds healing at CURE

that operates a global network of eight pediatric hospitals providing world-class surgical and intentional ministry care for children living with treatable disabilities. CURE donors help provide services at no cost for families living in poverty. CURE International is a top-rated non-profit organization.

WE WELCOME COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK! checkup@cure.org (616) 512-3105 cure.org

CURE International 70 Ionia Ave SW Suite 200 Grand Rapids, MI 49503

THANK YOU CURE International thanks O'Neil Printing for its support in maintaining print industry standards at reduced costs, allowing God's gifts and resources to be faithfully stewarded.

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EVERY CHILD MATTERS

EDA’S DREAM A young girl's journey to healing and her goal of becoming a nurse

FRONTLINERS

NEUROSURGERY AS MINISTRY Why Dr. Emmanuel Wegoye believes working at CURE Uganda is a calling

VISION PARTNERS

Q&A WITH TIM TEBOW Find out from a world-renowned athlete, entrepreneur, and philanthropist why it's not okay to give or pray 'a little'

letter from the editor check∙up noun /’chek-‚əp/ 1. a general examination of someone’s or something’s condition

Thank you for flipping through the pages of Check-Up, a CURE Magazine. You could make a case that there are a variety of checkups in life other than those performed at the doctor’s office. The doctor will always tell you to eat healthily and stay active for optimal results. Both are needed. In faith, it’s connecting with God through prayer and His word. When we do, a prognosis or realignment of the heart happens. As a supporter of this mission, you’ve aligned your heart with God’s in caring for the marginalized and vulnerable. You’ve actively responded with your prayers and treasure. As you read the stories in the pages that follow, we hope you see a clear diagnosis: your engagement helps bring wholeness and healing to thousands of children and families around the world – both physically and spiritually. Your generosity changes lives and makes possible remarkable work in many hard places worldwide. In this edition, you'll learn more about a new children's ward at CURE Zimbabwe and you'll experience the hope that has emerged from conflict in Ethiopia. I'm delighted that you will also meet Eda, a former CUREkid who now wants to be a nurse at a CURE hospital. This is good news for our world! Truly, walking alongside people who are aligned with God’s heart, championing the children we serve - what a gift and joy indescribable!

Editor-In-Chief

CHECK-UP

DEBBIE STOWELL

CURE NEWS

First-of-its-kind Playground in Niger Thanks to you, Niger's first wheelchair-accessible playground was built at CURE Niger, providing a safe place for children to play. Abdoul is one of those kids, and he could hardly contain his joy. “Every time I’m here at the playground, I forget about my disability, I just enjoy myself. I slide down like 'vrooooommm' and it is so cool! I come here every day with my friends and we have fun together until we get tired. It is so much more fun than staying in my room, recovering. This is also making me well, look!" CURE Niger is the nation’s only pediatric surgical hospital, providing world-class surgical care, thoughtful ministry, and now fun for all children!

USAID LEPP + You = Mission Critical Medical Equipment Since 1987, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has granted qualifying organizations access to surplus property through a program called Limited Excess Property Program (LEPP). CURE International is one of only 23 organizations approved to receive excess medical equipment and supplies. LEPP granted CURE $3,000,000 worth of credits, providing CURE hospitals with mission-critical medical equipment like This accessible playground at CURE Niger is a dream come true for many children with disabilities.

Breaking Ground and Making History with Tim Tebow The Tim Tebow Foundation expanded its partnership with CURE to build a new 40-bed children’s ward at CURE Zimbabwe. This initiative will increase the surgical capacity at the hospital and help provide more surgeries for children in the region for years to come. CURE Zimbabwe is the first and only hospital in the country of 14 million people to provide orthopedic care for children with disabilities, such as clubfoot, bowed legs, and knock knees at no cost to children and their families.

The generous commitment from the foundation will help fund the new ward and future medical procedures at the hospital. With construction breaking ground in February 2022, the new ward aims to open in January of 2023. CURE Zimbabwe groundbreaking ceremony. From left: Tim Tebow; Mrs. R. Kwedza, Minister of Local Government and Public Works; Dr. N. Dzvanga, CEO of United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH); and Justin Narducci, President/CEO of CURE International.

Mark Hydenburg, Dr. Diane Nahimana, Rahamou, and Jules getting ready to use their new vital sign monitor at CURE Niger.

vital sign monitors, ventilators, crash carts, mobile X-ray machines, and C-Arm X-ray machines used in surgery. With the generous support of donors, all medical equipment is refurbished at CURE’s global distribution center, where volunteers and staff package and ship equipment and supplies to CURE hospitals across the world.

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CURE NEWS

A Safer World for Children with Disabilities In countries where CURE serves, children with disabilities are often stigmatized and seen as burdens, even curses, in their own villages. As such, they often are hidden away and do not receive the help they need. That's why CURE and Ada Bible Church worked together to develop a "Theology of Disability" curriculum to equip local pastors and church leaders with the tools they need to minister to people with disabilities in their communities. The curriculum will help pastors and leaders dispel harmful, hurtful, and unbiblical beliefs that impact children with disabilities and their families.

Ada Bible's Jeff Manion shares the vision behind the Theology of Disability.

The shared vision is to transform the hearts and minds of God’s people to reach out, show the love of Jesus to children with disabilities, and identify future patients at CURE children’s hospitals.

Sherri Lynn and Brant Hansen perform in the Misfits Tour.

On Tour with Brant Hansen Highly acclaimed author and radio personality, Brant Hansen, has served as a CURE advocate for years. In 2021, he toured the country to promote his new book, The Truth About Us, while teaching audiences about CURE’s mission to heal children and introduce them to Jesus. These events resulted in providing more than 1,000 surgeries to the most vulnerable children. Hansen is scheduled to perform in Pennsylvania on May 19 and 20, and in Springfield, Massachusetts on May 21. You won't want to miss these meaningful events. For more information, visit branthansen.com.

Oxford University and CURE Ethiopia Create Clubfoot Training Program Clubfoot is a common birth defect that affects approximately up to 200,000 babies around the world each year, according to medical statistics. In Ethiopia alone, CURE estimates that 4,490 children are born with clubfoot every year. Available healthcare is limited and there are not enough doctors trained to treat deformities such as clubfoot. To help solve the problem, CURE Ethiopia and NDORMS (Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences) from Oxford University’s Medical Services Division partnered to conduct research and develop a management and treatment process for older children with clubfoot. The training program will guide established medical professionals through the entire process with the hope that more doctors will be trained to treat clubfoot throughout the country.

Doctors at CURE Ethiopia operate on Abduro, an Ethiopian boy with bilateral clubfoot.

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FEATURE STORY

HOPE FOR CHILDREN CAUGHT IN CONFLICT

n November 2, 2021, the Ethiopian government declared a six-month state of emergency as northern Tigrayan rebels, one of the country’s most powerful political groups, advanced toward the capital city of Addis Ababa, where the CURE Children’s Hospital of Ethiopia is located. The state of emergency followed on the heels of months of conflict, resulting in the loss of thousands of lives, displacement of more than two million people, and a spread of famine across the nation.

"Doctors there gave me two options: amputate the arm or find better treatment elsewhere. I chose the latter," says Hussein, Abubeker’s stepbrother and the only remaining family member. Hussein shared Abubeker's story on social media through which he learned about CURE Ethiopia. Hussein brought Abubeker to the Addis Ababa-based pediatric hospital where he was assured that there truly was another option. At CURE Ethiopia, doctors were able to save Abubeker's arm and perform skin grafts. In addition, the doctors are monitoring how 'Abuki' is healing to ensure there are no

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Among those caught up in the conflict was a little boy named Abubeker. His story of survival is a miracle – and it is a testimony of how your support brings the love of Jesus to the most vulnerable in places like Ethiopia.

Last year, little one-year-old Abubeker’s entire immediate family was killed when a mortar was fired into his home. The blast damaged the infant’s right arm so severely that doctors at the local hospital recommended amputation.

complications from the procedure and that he grows up strong and healthy. “It’s not common for a brother-in-law to care for his step-father’s child. In-laws have a hostile relationship in most cases, so seeing Hussein care for Abubeker the way he did was heartwarming,” Dr. Tesfaye, a plastic surgeon at CURE Ethiopia, observes. “Dr. Tertius and I were in charge of Abubeker’s surgical care. Thankfully, it wasn’t the most complicated of cases. His skin flap graft was successful and there were no complications after that. We just kept him in the hospital for bandage changes, and also because it wasn’t safe for him and Hussein to go back home,” concludes Dr. Tesfaye. Abuki still has a long journey of healing ahead of him, but if his bright smile is any

indication, there is hope for him and his stepbrother. Abubeker's surgeries at CURE will enable him to go to school, be active and productive, and reach his full potential. Moreover, the quality of service at CURE Ethiopia and the love shown by the doctors and staff has already planted seeds in the hearts of Hussein and Abubeker. Their story is a demonstration of God’s love to the broken and hurting. Yet one more example of how God, through people like you, brings hope to the hurting. “Being from a Muslim background, Hussein was a little reserved to talk to anyone, but I assured him that this hospital was for everyone, of all color, race, and religious affiliation. Through these conversations I also contextualized the gospel for him to understand clearly,” explains counselor Umer Ibrahim.

HUSSEIN FEEDS LITTLE ABUKI AT CURE ETHIOPIA

"I am incredibly grateful to everyone at CURE Ethiopia who, regardless of ethnicity and religion, care for us," shares Hussein. Abuki and the children of Ethiopia still need our care and prayers. CURE International has stayed vigilant, open, and ready to serve and demonstrate God’s love to children in need. “CURE remains committed to serving the children of Ethiopia. Children – especially those living with disabilities – are the most vulnerable, most in need, and most likely to suffer and be overlooked during a conflict,” says Justin Narducci, President/ CEO of CURE International. Thank you for making stories like this happen. At CURE Ethiopia alone, more than 2,500 surgeries are completed annually, and the good news of Jesus is shared with children, moms, dads, and in some cases, stepbrothers.

editor’s note In late January 2022, the Ethiopian state of emergency was lifted. After a year of conflict, the country has become more peaceful, but displacement and food insecurity remain significant issues.

Visit cure.org/curekids to meet children who are healing in the hospitals right now.

THE AFTERMATH OF AN AIRSTRIKE

ABUBEKER PLAYS WITH

IN MEKELE, TIGRAY (AP PHOTO)

OTHER CHILDREN AT CURE ETHIOPIA

"I am incredibly grateful to everyone at CURE Ethiopia who, regardless of ethnicity and religion, care for us." — HUSSEIN

DR. TESFAYE PERFORMING SURGERY AT CURE ETHIOPIA

did you know? #1

1.5 MILLION

CURE Ethiopia is the only specialized pediatric orthopedic hospital in a country of 115+ million people.

CURE Ethiopia is a recognized center of excellence and the #1 leading teaching hospital in Ethiopia for the treatment of children with diverse orthopedic surgical needs.

Ethiopia hosts the third-largest refugee population on the continent with 823,000 refugees and more than 1.5 million internally displaced citizens.

3,000

9 REGIONS

CURE Ethiopia serves more than 3,000 children annually.

Because of its unique capabilities and exceptional reputation, CURE Ethiopia attracts patients from all nine regions of the country.

80% At least 80% of Ethiopia’s 115 million people live outside of urban areas with limited access to healthcare.

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1 IN 115 MILLION

EVERY CHILD MATTERS

Eda's dream A YOUNG GIRL'S JOURNEY TO HEALING AND HER GOAL OF BECOMING A NURSE

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-yearold 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.

EDA'S TREATMENT TIMELINE

NOV 11, 2015 Arrived at CURE Malawi

NOV 17, 2015 First surgery

JAN 14, 2016 Second surgery

JAN 25, 2016 Went back home to recover

APR 4, 2016 Bone growth completed!

JUN 1, 2016 Discharged to go home

MAY 20, 2016 Returned with wound complications

JUL 4, 2016 Returned to review meds

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!

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!”

“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

"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.

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!

“ 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!”

EDA AND NURSE ANGELLA PRAY TOGETHER BEFORE SURGERY 14

NOV 10, 2016 Another surgery

SEP 5, 2017 Leg frame came off!

MAR 6, 2017 Check-up

NOV 14, 2016 Discharged to go home

MAY 30, 2017 Last surgery

DEC 11, 2017 Discharged from CURE!

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!

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FRONTLINERS

neurosurgery as ministry SPOTLIGHT ON DR. EMMANUEL WEGOYE, CURE Uganda

Every week, more than 300 life-changing surgical procedures are conducted throughout the CURE Children’s Hospital Network. Some of those are performed by highly trained neurosurgeons. The surgeons who work at CURE children’s hospitals consider themselves ‘called’ and are just as thrilled to pray with kids before surgeries as they are to use their skills. Dr. Emmanuel Wegoye is one of those surgeons. Dr. Wegoye first encountered CURE when he was in his fourth year of medical school. He had a friend who was working at CURE Uganda. Dr. Wegoye visited his friend and was intrigued by the service and the family atmosphere that he found at the hospital. That visit had left a profound impact on Dr. Wegoye so much so that after graduating from medical school in 2008, he returned to CURE Uganda to serve as a medical officer. His daily duties included monitoring the children in the ward, taking medical histories in the outpatient clinic, and running mobile clinics around the country. Dr. Wegoye’s work ethic soon earned him a CURE scholarship to study neurosurgery in Cape Town, South Africa. It was a grueling fiveand-a-half-year course of study, but in 2017, Dr. Wegoye graduated as a full-fledged neurosurgeon with a specialty in pediatric neurosurgery. After his graduation, Dr. Wegoye’s first post was running the neurosurgery department in a children’s hospital in Kenya. He served there for two years after which he went back to

CURE Children's Hospital of Uganda to serve as a pediatric neurosurgeon. One year later, Dr. Wegoye accepted the position of Medical Director at CURE Uganda. “[Being] a neurosurgeon is a calling, and I believe leadership is also a calling,” says Dr. Wegoye. Despite the big title, Dr. Wegoye sees his role as one of service. He takes very seriously whatever job is given – from his time as a medical officer caring for patients to mentoring the next generation of neurosurgeons. At the end of the day though, the surgeries, the training, and the high-level policy implementation is secondary to Dr. Wegoye’s primary purpose. He shares:

“

My greatest conviction is the ministry to our heavenly Father...of all things in life you can do, if it is to serve God, it is the greatest.”

Dr. Wegoye is one of 32 surgeons serving across the CURE Children’s Hospital Network. His specialty, pediatric neurosurgery, addresses life-threatening conditions such as hydrocephalus and spina bifida.

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VISION PARTNERS Highlighting CURE partners who heal the sick and proclaim the kingdom of God.

CURE International sat down with Tim Tebow to discuss his passion for helping children with treatable disabilities. As founder of the Tim Tebow Foundation and strategic partner with CURE, he helps bring physical healing and the good news of Jesus to the afflicted.

Could you share why you're passionate about helping kids heal? Q

A I'm passionate about kids with profound medical conditions because I think God is. And I think when you walk into a CURE hospital and walk in the rooms, I think there are rooms that God would really like. I think there are rooms of people that He really loves. And I think that he's asked us, more so called us, to answer the call and say 'yes' to help the afflicted. In the Bible, over 60% of Jesus's public miracles were for the afflicted. So if that's who Jesus helped, I think that's also who we're supposed to help. That's why when you walk into a CURE [hospital], you feel the presence of God and there's something special.

or wheels them in. But they get to walk out. Not only do they walk out, but they also get to walk out knowing that they're loved. Not just by the doctors, A Well, what brought the Tim the staff, the supports, but by Tebow Foundation (TTF) and the God of this universe. And I CURE together was a boy that think my favorite thing about I met when I was 15 years old the Tebow CURE hospital is in the jungles of the Philippines that there are more salvations who was born than surgeries with his feet because we backward. And not only want We not only because of that, to help them his village looked want to help physically, we at him like a them physically, want to be curse, as insigable to share we want to be nificant. And the good news able to share now, because of of the gospel. the partnership, That is the the good news there's a hospital message that of the gospel." that brings heals all of healing to every us spiritually single boy and when we say girl around the Philippines just ‘yes’ to what Jesus did on the like him and carries them in cross for us. What brought the Tim Tebow Foundation and CURE together, and what keeps the partnership meaningful? Q

“

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That's what brought TTF and CURE together. And we don't want to stop. That's why we're so grateful to partner again in Zimbabwe. And hopefully, we'll be able to share some more news in the coming weeks of more partnerships and more countries and more hospitals because there are too many boys and girls around the world who have not been helped. No one has heard their cries, but we want to listen to them and answer them. And you know, I really believe that we can't do it alone. But in partnerships and groups rallying together, when believers say ‘yes’ to helping those afflicted, I believe that we can make a huge difference. I also believe that's a big reason that God has us here to love Him and love one another. And I believe that loving one another is choosing each other's best interest and acting

Tim Tebow and CURE patient Ropafadzo become instant friends at CURE Zimbabwe.

on their behalf, and that's what we need to do [as partners]. And do you know how we can work upon all these boys and girls' behalf? It’s by having a CURE hospital. So they have a place to go and can hear the good news of the gospel. So they understand that there's a God who loves them, who created them in love and by love and for love. And although they might not look like everybody else, it doesn't mean that they're less than others because they're not. God didn't create less than.

“

In Christ Jesus, they're a masterpiece. That's what we get to tell them. That's what we get to show them. That's how we get to love them.

Tim Tebow, with a family at CURE Zimbabwe, looks forward to seeing more kids receiving surgery and hearing about Jesus.

What challenges are you excited to tackle next in providing healing to children with profound medical conditions? Q

Getting to places where there are no hospitals, where there's no orthopedic care, where kids don't have a place to go. I mean, just here in Zimbabwe, even though there is a CURE hospital here now, there are still 300,000 kids waiting. That's not acceptable. It's not good enough. For too long, we've just sat back and lived in comfort and said, okay, it's okay to give a little bit. It's okay to do a little bit. And I don't think it is. I think we're called to do more. I think we're called to give more. I think we're called to pray more. I think we're called to support more. A

How are you feeling after seeing the plan at CURE Zimbabwe for a new children’s ward come to fruition? Q

[It’s heartbreaking] to meet so many patients who have burns all over their bodies, to see boys and girls with their feet backward, to see hands stuck together, to see a child with six toes. And know that everyone has, for the most part, been made fun of, so many have been ‘throwaways.’ So many have been viewed as ‘less than.’ And, you know, we have got to do a better job of showing people that they're not less than. God didn't make a mistake. He's never made a mistake and He will never make a mistake. But every single one of those lives is worthy of our effort, of our time, of our money, of our resources. And why do I know that? Because if they were worthy enough for Jesus to go to the cross, they are worthy enough for us to give what we have because it pales in comparison to what Jesus gave for them. We better be willing to give more.

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It's encouraging and inspiring to want to do more, but at the same time, it's heartbreaking. It's heartbreaking to see so many kids who have A

been waiting and think about the waiting list, and how many are waiting to be served and be helped.

send a get-well message! visit

Did you know that you can send a message to a child in one of our hospitals? You can encourage them, share a favorite Bible verse, and help share the love of Jesus while they are receiving care in our hospitals.

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS:

select

cure.org/get-well

a child to message

in your message

open a browser on your computer or phone

click on any of the patient profiles

you can also select a pre-written message

press

message of

send!

hope received!

your message travels to the CURE hospital

CURE staff delivers your message to the patient. These messages are always a bright spot in their day!

You can also watch this video to learn how!

type

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JESUS STILL HEALS. The award-winning documentary MODERN DAY MIRACLES features three children with treatable disabilities who find hope and healing through CURE children’s hospitals worldwide.

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watch now on

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HEAL THE SICK & PROCLAIM THE KINGDOM Luke 9:2 CURE International is a Christian non-profit organization that operates a global network of eight pediatric hospitals in Africa and the Philippines, providing world-class surgical and intentional ministry care for children living with treatable disabilities.

(616) 512-3105 cure.org