People helped by the work of Global Rehabilitation Services

Global Rehabilitation Services has since its foundation carried out successful prosthetics treatment, including the arrangement of corrective surgery when required, for over 1,500 severely disabled children and youths.

Testimonials of six of these children are given below:

Jackson Kuetche
This child at the age of five had a severe cogenetal deformation (Bilateral valgus knees).  The picture on the right shows the boy after corrective surgery and physiotherapy.

My Name is Jackson Kuetche and I am 7 years of age.  My mother told me that when I was born, my legs were normal but later started deforming as I developed.
I went to school like other children until my legs got so serious that I found it difficult to walk to school.  There came a time that I could not walk any more.  I could only drag my buttucks on the ground to displace myself from one place to the other.  Other children were laughing at me at school and I felt so bad and could not stop crying. The problem became so serious that my parents asked me to stop schooling and stay at home.  I was sad because my brothers and sisters were going to school and I could not.
My parents were informed in the village meeting that there was a Handicap Treatment Centre called GLORES.  The village group helped my parents through contributions to pay transportation to the GLORES Centre in Bafoussam.
In GLORES they told me that my deformations were so serious that surgery was needed.  They also told my parents that I had ricketitis, a disease that causes severe deformations of the bones and retards growth and develoment.  My parents did not have money for the operation.  I started crying with my mother.  GLORES worked out a financial assistance for the operation of my legs and put me on medical treatment.  My parents only paid a small portion of the operation charges.
My legs are corrected and are straight. I can now go to school.  I am happy with my family because I have returned to school.  My family and I do not know how to thank GLORES programme.

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2. Mapta Yomgue
This two days old baby had a severe cogenetal deformity. The picture on the right shows her after one month of physiotherapy.

This testimony was given by the mother of a three year old child who was refered to GLORES for treatment for a severe congenital deformation of the right leg by the Bafoussam Regional Reference Hospital.

Mother’s observation
God still continue to perform miracles today through individual and charitable organizations like GLORES.  I believe in what I am saying because of my experience with my little girl whom I brought to GLORES at the age of two days with serious deformation of the right leg after birth.  The hospital where the child was born told me that something can only be done through surgery when the child reaches the age of 25 years.  They, however, refered the child to the Handicap Treatment Centre called GLORES.  If the hospital of that calibre could not do anything, I was left with no choice than to cry.
I brought the child to GLORES in tears. I was comforted and told not to worry.  I could not believe what they were saying.  They consulted the child and put her on treatment for one month.  To my utter amazement the child’s leg returned to normal. I could not believe myself.  I thought I was dreaming.
Now my little girl is growing up normally like other children and shows no sign of any problem at birth.  This was a miracle to me. I started thanking the therapists in GLORES but they told me that they only treat and God heals.
Thank God for giving us a treatment Centre like GLORES.  God through GLORES prevents disabilities in Children! Let God give more inspiration to the Therapists in GLORES so that they can help more handicap children in Cameroon.
Knefack Evelyn Yomgue
« Mother of Mapta Yomgue »

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3. Efone Jacque
This boy was without a left femur. The picture on the right shows him after physiotherapy

My name is Efone Jacques from Bafoussam. My parents did not want to send me to school because I found it difficult to walk due to my left leg that was deformed and shorter than the right leg from birth.  They said that going to school was not necessary since I would not be able to walk making it difficult to find a job.
When I went to GLORES they made it possible for me to walk with the help of splints and now I am in school and doing very well with my school work.  My parents, villagers and I am happy.

Efone Jacques

Note: The splints this child is using are temporal and he will continue to wear them until the age of 25 when the deformed leg will be amputated and replaced with a permanent prosthesis.

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4. Freddy Pokam
This boy had a severe limb deformation (bilateral valgus knees). The picture on the right shows him after corrective surgery, physiotherapy and splinting.

I am speechless.  I returned to the village after treatment and people could not recognize me again, even my relatives.  One of them even asked if I went to the native Doctor for the magic done on my legs.  This is really like magic.
It was already getting difficult for me to go to school. My legs were crossing over each other making it hard to walk.  The worst thing is that other children in my school were often laughing at me.  Some of them called me distorted legs.  Things like these made my school grades to go down because I was not at ease at all.
To the utter amazement and to the surprise of the villagers, I can walk normally with no sign of disability any more. I am like other children.
Thanks be to GLORES and to God above all.

Freddy Pokam

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5. Patrick Kenfack
This young man had a cogenetal deformation. The picture on the right shows him after prosthetics treatment.

I am an 18 year old boy from Bafoussam, Cameroon.  I was born with my legs deformed.  To displace myself from one place to the other I had to creep and roll.  I was brought to see the Orthopaedic surgeons from Holland for corrective surgery.  They consulted me and said that nothing could be done to my legs.  My mother and I started crying in the hospital.  The Physiotherapist from GLORES told us not to cry and that we should come to GLORES so they can see what could be done.
We did not have the confidence because the surgeons said that nothing could be done.  We, however, went to GLORES treatment Centre in Bafoussam.  I was evaluated and internalized there for three months.  They were able to straighten my deformed legs, put on prosthesis and trained me to walk.
Now I can walk and go to school and I am the secretary of the handicapped people organization (Arc -En- Ciel) in Bafoussam.  I am looking forward to finding a job after my education.

Patrick Kenfack

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6. Brunhilda Tsakong
This girl had varus knees when she was five years old. The picture on the right shows her with legs straightened by physiotherapy.

My name is Brunhilda Tsakong.  I am now 10 years of age.  My legs were deformed when I was 5 years of age.  I am from a family of 10 children and my father is a village chief with 3 wives.  My father is a farmer and his income is so small that he is unable to send all the children to school.  The 5 children that go to school are boys.  Girls are encouraged to go to the farm with their mothers.
My father could not afford to send me to the hospital for the treatment of my legs.  He once attended a village meeting which was organised by GLORES.  In the meeting, they talked about disability, treatment of handicaps and showed pictures of treated children.  My father was thrilled and took me to the GLORES Treatment Centre in Bafoussam, Cameroon.  There I was consulted and referred for corrective surgery followed be physiotherapy.
They invited my parents and encouraged them to send the girls to school with the help of GLORES.  Now I am preparing to go to the secondary school.  And my legs are straight and normal.  As a girl I feel beautiful.
Thanks to GLORES Treatment Centre.  Because of GLORES programme I can walk straight, go to school and feel beautiful.

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