​This is little 7 month old Angelina from the Cotacachi area. She had been scheduled for her cleft lip surgery in March, which unfortunately had to be postponed due to the Covid lockdown.
HKIE arranged to have all her pre surgery testing done near home and the family came in for the surgery on the 10th. As Emaus is still closed, Posada del Angel (Mangiare Bene restaurant) on Simon Bolivar gave us a deal to house them for the night following surgery.
Dr Pablo Salamea Molina performed the surgery on the 10th. As you can tell from the picture of her pre surgery, this was a very difficult case. Yet just 10 days later one can see what a beautiful job was done and that this little "angel" will grow up to be quite a beauty.
Even after all of the years working with Dr Pablo, it still amazes us to see what he can do in a two hour surgery with a scalpel in his talented hands! The before and after pictures says it all!
Needless to say, her parents were thrilled to have their precious little one healed. The father creates leather goods and had a gift for all of us.

​This is 11 month old Pablito. Pablito was born 3 months premature and after several months developed hydrocephalus. The doctors put a shunt into his brain but it recently became partially blocked causing undue pressure and infections.
HKIE took Pablito to our Pablo, Dr.
Pablo Javier Salamea Molina
. Dr Pablo talk with surgeons at two other hospitals and the decision was made that he should have the surgery at Del Rio. His case was deemed an emergency and Pablito was admitted through the ER.
Also pictured is 4 year old Danny who has needed life saving
anti- seizure medication. The doctor feels that he has just about outgrown the danger, but in the meantime the medicines have allowed him to grow into a healthy young boy.
Thanks to Hospital del Rio, the doctors and our supporters for allowing HKIE to help these children and their families.

This is 7 day old Maria Celeste. Maria was born with such a severe cleft lip, she was unable to eat or breathe efficiently.
Dra. Mariela Elisa Siguencia fashioned (under anesthesia) a special prosthetic for Maria Celeste's mouth that will enable her to drink and breathe until she reaches the age of 3 months. At that point Dr. Pablo Javier Salamea Molina
will be able to repair her cleft lip.
Thanks to Dra. Mariela, Hospital del Rio and all our supporters.

​First is little 2 year old Lian who suffered from a cleft palate. Dr.
Pablo Javier Salamea Molina
repaired the palate 2 weeks ago. Lian's mother is very happy her son was able to receive this corrective surgery.
Also treated is 2 year 4 month old Felix, shown with Dra.
Nicole Solano
, Dr. Pablo's assistant and also with his mother. Felix too had a cleft palate that Dr. Pablo repaired this past week.
Both boys can now grow up speaking correctly and not have the added problem of food going up into their nasal passages. Thanks to Dr. Pablo, Hospital del Rio, and our supporters, these two children will have the chance to lead normal, productive lives.
A huge thank you goes out to Hospital Del Rio for providing HKIE with significant discounts for both surgeries!

This is 11 year old Valentin who had his eye removed following blindness from glaucoma.
He is shown here with Dra
Mariela Elisa Siguencia
at Hospital Del Rio who fashioned a prosthetic eye for him. Valentin is so excited to now look like all of his friends...without having an empty eye socket.
His new eye looks so normal!
Thanks to Dra Mariela for donating her medical fees and all our donors for making this happen..

​This is 15 year old John David whose parents were unable to get his cleft lip repaired when he was younger. HKIE was contacted and Dr.
Pablo Javier Salamea Molina repaired his lip. Now this young man will be able to continue his life without the stigma of a cleft lip.
Also shown is 14 year old Christopher whose leg was severely injured in an accident several years ago. The pain had become severe and is causing him to walk incorrectly.
Rocio Illescas from Lucy Cetap
contacted HKIE in the hopes of getting him some needed therapy. Dr. Quezada, who offered a significant discount is shown giving Christopher a tens unit therapy...this first of 10 therapies to improve the quality of his life.
Thanks to the doctors, Hospital del Rio, and our supporters for giving these young men the opportunity to live normal lives.

l​This is 15 year old Santiago who underwent chemo for leukemia at the Solca Hospital here in Cuenca. During his treatments he contracted herpes which seems to attack the eyes in young people. The disease has caused the inability to see out of his right eye.
HKIE was contacted and we had him examined by Dr. Miotto at Exilaser. It has been determined he needs a cornea transplant. Dr. Miotto stated this will be a difficult surgery because his cornea is partially attached to the iris; but Dr. Miotto says he would still recommend the surgery.
Santiago has been placed on the government cornea list and we are hopeful he can have his surgery within the next few months. Both Santiago and his father are anxious and grateful to all.

​Update from HKIE
A note of thanks from Miguel our 7 year old patient (#438) who received a partial esophageal transplant 2 weeks ago. No words we can say can match this except thank you to all who made this miracle happen. He is now home eating and enjoying regular food. He will no longer need a feeding tube for the rest of his life!
Running any foundation you will have a few bad days. Receiving a personal thank you note from our patients reminds all of us at HKIE and our supporters that what we do means so much to our children.

​Meet 7 year old Miguel Valencia from the Quito area. We were introduced to him via our friend at Hospital Metropolitano in Quito. While discussing another matter she told us the story of this young boy who desperately needed surgery. About two years ago, late one night, Miguel mistook a bottle containing a corrosive cleaner for a drink. The upper part of his esophagus was totally destroyed. The first hospital he was rushed to said nothing could be done. His parents got him to another hospital where they inserted a feeding tube and the doctors told Miguel and his parents that was how he would live his life...never again tasting food or drink!
Fortunately Miguel came to the attention of the doctors at Metropolitano. While it is a fairly new procedure, the doctors and parents decided an esophageal replacement could be the answer.
This was a complicated eight hour surgery!
Great News! HKIE was just notified by the hospital that not only is Miguel out of intensive care, he is eating solids for the first time since the accident and thoroughly enjoying every bite! Miguel is due to return home safely on Friday.
Thanks to the staff at Metropolitano who donated their services, and the generous donors of HKIE, this young man will now be able to live and enjoy a normal life!
The dramatic increase in the quality of his life is beyond words!

This is 5 year old Josue David shown with Dr Juan-Carlos Salamea-Molina
from Hospital del Rio. This young man suffered from 2 undescended testicles. In addition to psychological problems left untreated this condition may also cause infertility and testicular cancer.
Dr Juan-Carlos, Dr Pablo's brother, always waives his surgical fees.
Hospital Del Rio, as always, provided HKIE with a generous discount.
Dr Juan Carlos performed the corrective surgery yesterday. His mother and the other 10 extended family members with whom he lives are very thankful for the help they received from HKIE.
Also shown is little Isabela. Isabela's nose was eaten away from an severe infection post birth and she has received 6 corrective surgeries with Dr Pablo Salamea Molina , Dra. Maria Siguencia and Dr. Diego Maldonado. Yesterday Dr. Pablo and Dra. Siguencia put in a new prosthetic while her nose continues to heal.
All the doctors involved waived their fees!
A big thank you to our supporters, our doctors and Hospital del Rio.