In June the world learned the story of five Tanzanian children, three boys and two girls, who have Albinism, and were mutilated in a witchcraft ritual by elders in their village. In East Africa, particularly Tanzania, the limbs of albino children and adults — and sometimes even bones dug up from graves — are sold to witch doctors, to use in good luck charms and magical potions.
Thanks to Global Medical Relief, a children’s charity based in Staten Island, the kids were brought to the U.S. and given medical assistance. They partnered with Doctors from Shriner’s Hospital of Philadelphia took on the mission of reconstructive surgeries and prosthetic preparation to help these kids have some quality of life.
Locally, the story reached Ami Feller, Community Relations of The Voorhees Care and Rehabilitation Center. During the same timeframe, one of the seniors she works with in a healthcare environment was inspired to work with other senior citizens at her center to craft handmade greeting cards for disabled children locally.
Feller shared the horrific story with Diane Harvey, Resident Council president who together with Feller conceived the “Cards 4 Kids” initiative. Harvey was in agreement some cards should be designated for the Tanzanian five.
“I want them to know we’re thinking about them, it’s really hard,” Harvey said, recalling being hospitalized for childhood polio without parents’ visitation and being scared. “These kids have it worse being in an unfamiliar country.”
Feller combined the cards with a donated basket full of stuffed animals from a resident’s spouse.
Feller reached out to Terry Diamond, a longtime Development Director of Shriner’s Hospital for Children to verify if they thought this would be appropriate for these kids. The cards and animals were delivered with the intent with children will receive the gifts during their follow-up with Shriner’s.
Some had various surgeries and were casted for prosthetics. They headed back to the Dare to Dream House during their U.S. stay and were returning to the hospital for follow-ups. Mid July Feller brought the items to Shriner’s Development Director Terry Diamond to have the items distributed to these special children.
“I would like to thank you for donating the stuffed animals and beautiful cards to our pediatric patients from Tanzania…and will share them when they return to the hospital…thank you for giving to our children so unselfishly.” Diamond said, “Thank your residents for the goodies for the patients.”
The children received the cards during their hectic day on July 23 busy grabbing lunches in between appointments. They smiled and each picked a stuffed animal of their liking. Most do not speak English accept the oldest, but they have all learned to say “thank you.”
As far as the prosthetics go, Shriner’s often continue to take care of children from other countries as they grow and they need either a new prosthetic or repairs to a current prosthetics.
