John Lester is the third child and third boy born into the Arce Family. He was delivered at our clinic in the middle of February 2012 and when he was born we noticed that his left eye was quite swollen. We referred him to a pediatrician and they diagnosed him with an infection and gave some medicine. We didn’t see him again until a few months later when his mother attended one of our “Well-Baby” seminars. I couldn’t believe it when I saw him! His eyeball was so enlarged and the socket was so swollen. His mother said that he only cries and sleeps and seems to be in so much pain. We asked the mother if she had been to a doctor again and she told us that she had, but they were referred to Manila to see a specialist and they couldn’t afford to go. My heart just about broke to see this sweet little boy in so much pain.
We contacted one of our sponsors, Samaritan’s Purse Canada to see if there was some way they could assist us in getting baby John Lester medical help. They said yes! In July, with the help of SP Canada we took John Lester and his mother to Manila for an initial check-up and diagnosis. It took a whole week but God divinely intervened and set up a meeting with one of the top ophthalmologists in the country. When the doctor saw John Lester and learned of his family’s financial condition, his heart was also moved. He diagnosed him with congenital glaucoma and said that he needed immediate surgery in order to save his eye. He agreed to waive his professional fee and set up a sponsorship with his own foundation (Opthalmological Foundation of the Philippines) for John Lester to receive a reduced rate for all procedures.
Since August we have been trying to get John Lester healthy enough to undergo surgery – he was suffering from pneumonia. Finally this last week, baby John Lester had his glaucoma surgery and everything went well. He and his mother are still in Manila with one of our team undergoing follow-ups until the doctor clears him to come home to Tabuk.
John Lester’s family is so thankful for the help given by SP Canada. Without their sponsorship John Lester would still be in excruciating pain and would have eventually lost use of both eyes.
Please pray with us that John Lester will continue to heal and that his other eye won’t be affected by the glaucoma.
(I will put up pictures of John Lester post operation when they arrive home from Manila next week)
gthemidwife 