ReSurge International remains enormously grateful for the partnership of Michael and Frida Donner and the Barco’s Nightingales Foundation. Your commitment and partnership in our work have truly transformed thousands of lives – not only those of the children and adults we have reached, but of the families who care for them. ReSurge is honored to share with you this recent story of hope.
We hope that you will take pride knowing that your support has been instrumental in changing the lives of women and children around the world.
Thank you!
Itzel, Age 4
Itzel is four years old and has jet black hair, which her mother sweeps back from her face in two sweet pigtails. She is full of curiosity. We met her recently during  ReSurge’s Surgical Team Trip to Bolivia. When she first came to the hospital, she held her mother’s hand quietly and patiently waiting to be seen by the ReSurge volunteer team.

The team decided Itzel was a great candidate for hand surgery and scheduled the procedure for later in the week. The objective of the procedure would be to fix her right hand. Itzel was born with syndactyly, a condition where the  fingers are fused together. The surgery separated her fingers so that she will be able to hold a pencil. For someone as bright and inquisitive as Itzel, use of both hands could open opportunities for her in the future.

On the day of the surgery, she padded into the pre-operative waiting room with her mother, Gladys. Itzel was not scared, but rather full of questions. Longtime volunteer Sheila Wolfson read her a book in Spanish called “My Trip to the Hospital” to prepare her for her surgery experience. Itzel, fascinated by the pictures of children, pointed at each one. She stopped at a photo of a little girl with a bandaged hand and looked up at Sheila. The little girl in the book was just like her.