This young lady is Kimberly from the Salinas area, who has only been able to "walk" with aid or crutches. Thanks to the coordination of our Salinas rep, Luis Galarza, HKIE was able to get Kimberly up to Ibarra to be fitted with a prosthetic foot. Thank you, Luis! Kimimberly spent several days there being fitted and learning to walk with her new foot.
With this prosthetic, not only will Kimberly be mobile and Independent, but she will also avoid hip and back problems as she gets older.
The short video shows her walking for the first time.
Another child helped to have a more normal life thanks to our donors and Prosthesis Imbabura.

​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.

This is 13 year old Rolando. When he was 4 years old, he was run over by a bus and lost both his legs. Since that time he has been confined to a wheelchair or needed to be carried.
Thanks to Prostesis Imbambura and our HKIE supporters, Rolando has been fitted with 2 full prosthetic legs. It will take him a while to learn how to walk ,but he and his family are feeling so blessed to have recieved this life changing gift!
Again, many thanks to our donors and Prostesis Imbambura.

Shown is 18 month old, super cute Jandry. He was referred to us by Rocio Illescas from CETAP-Lucy school.
He was born with 2 fingers on each hand and two toes on each foot fused together.
Dr. Pablo Salamea Molina performed a surgery Friday on one hand and foot. When those heal, he will do the same on the other side. Jandry will now grow up with full use of his hands and feet. He and his parents travel 7 hours by bus to get to Cuenca, but are so grateful to Dr Pablo, Hospital del Rio and HKIE for giving their son a chance for a normal life.
Also shown is 8 year old Belen who needed glasses for astigmatism in both eyes. Thanks to Exilaser for their help for our children.
Lastly is Victoria who was having severe pain in her feet while walking. After xrays, it was fortunately discovered all she needed were special orthotics for her shoes. She now can participate in her high school activities.
Three more children helped through the generosity of our donors and doctors

Pictured is 17 year old Kevin, born with spina bifida. He was given braces over 5 year ago but has obviously outgrown them since then. So he was spending most of his time in his wheelchair. HKIE and Protesis Ibabura got him fitted with new braces to enable him to walk comfortbly.
Our other child is 16 year old Ariel who was born missing the lower part of one leg. He comes from a little town outside of Ibarra, living alone with his infirm mother who is unable to work. He also needed an updated fitting as his leg had outgrown his old prosthesis. He is shown walking on his new leg.
Thanks to Protesis Imbabura and our loyal supporters, these two young men can again be independent.

​This is 6 year old Pedro who was born with Cerebral Palsy type symptoms. He is fairly mobile and the therapist at his special school had strongly recommended the use of a TENS unit to stimulate his muscles and nerves on his legs to enable him to walk. Here he is wearing the unit just minutes after purchase.
Mom was extremely proactive in running down the best source to purchase the unit.
Hopefully this device, along with his physical therapy, will greatly improve Pedro's mobility and ability to live a more normal life
.
Thanks to all our supporters making these little miracles possible.

"Hip, Hip, Hooray!"
Pictured is 10 month old Martin from Riobamba. He has misaligned hips. His father contacted us for help with a brace because several years ago HKIE provided his older brother Juan Francisco with 2 life saving kidney surgeries. Papa keeps in touch..also shown is a healthy Juan Francisco ...with his hat...always....and his twin )
Also pictured is 8 month old Lupita who also has misaligned hips. Today she recieved her specially made braces.
Both these children will now be able to grow up and walk correctly, thanks to the help of our HKIE supporters!

Pictured is 6 year old Amelia, along with her mother, Karina and Dr Gustavo Ochoa Ramirez. 
Karina noticed her daughter's left foot and leg began turning inward soon after walking. For over three years Karin has spent time and money seeking a definitive diagnosis and help for her little girl.
Monday evening they arrived to the Emaus House from Salinas where they spent the night. Yesterday we took them to Dr. Ochoa's office at Clinica de Fracturas. Dr. Ochoa (Having already seen the requested MRI and xrays) spent over 40 minutes talking with Karina and explaining exactly the problem and the "cure". Amelia has Blounts Syndrome and will need 2 surgeries....the first to insert a type of pin to force the one side of her bone not to grow so the other side can "catch up". The second surgery will insert a piece in her knee joint that is missing...thus insuring her leg will be straight.
Amelia and her mom will return to Cuenca within the next week or so for the first surgery and the first step to a pain free normal life.
Thanks to Dr. Ochoa and our supporters for making these surgeries happen!

This is 14 year old Marcelino from Ibarra who was born without legs. He has lived in a community home for the past 7 years due to his family"s drug and alcohol addiction.
The community has asked Prostesis Imbabura to provide him with 2 prosthetic legs. HKIE works closely with Prostesis Imbabura and they asked for our help to provide this young man with functioning prosthetics. Also needed are special sleeves to protect his stumps as he has never worn a prosthetic.
Imagine how thrilled he is knowing he will soon be able to walk for the first time in his life!
The community and government have declared this young man adoptable. However, without legs and mobility the chances of adoption are slim. Marcelino loves to be active and with these prosthetics he can more easily move, play and become an active member of society. We hope and pray that this young man will now be able to become part of a loving family.
We will update you on this brave young man's progress!

This is 2 1/2 year old Johan. He had foot surgery 2 months ago through our coastal coordinator Sister Veronica Kim. Johan had severely pronated feet. Following surgery HKIE was asked if we could provide him with special orthopedic shoes to insure that his feet grow properly. Johan can now learn to walk and run correctly.
Thanks to all our HKIE supporters who made this small miracle possible.