When 42-year-old Shereyle Molato lost her left leg to gangrene in 2023, she was forced to stop teaching at the Ormoc City Central School.

Molato’s high medical expenses depleted her earnings and overwhelmed herself and her family. She faced an uncertain future.

Determined to return to her teaching career, Molato sought a prosthetic leg. However, the high cost was beyond her reach. With the help of Tzu Chi Foundation in Ormoc, however, she was able to obtain the prosthesis leg.

Molato was able to return to teaching her beloved students in July 2024. She is now inspiring her students with her perseverance and dedication.

Happy girl

Meanwhile, Dr. JanJan Lim, a volunteer at the Tzu Chi Eye Center (TCEC), made a girl very happy by placing an artificial eye on her.

Janjan had done many artificial eyes for many patients of TCEC. Her act of kindness has transformed many lives.

Eye prosthesis not only greatly changed the physical appearance of the person, but heal them emotionally, psychologically and giving them the opportunities to get a job, face society with confidence.

Aside from being an optometrist, Lim performed many tasks at the TCEC doing OCT, Perimetry thereby reducing the backlog.

Weathering the storm

As typhoon “Kristine” battered the Philippines last week, many patients showed up for their consultation or surgery at the TCEC on 24 October. Dedicated volunteer eye surgeons held retina and glaucoma clinic for 90 patients and performed 21 surgeries.

Tzu Chi volunteers were also present to provide support, while patients and their companions were moved to offer assistance in serving hot meals, creating a warm sense of community amid this storm.

Among those who came for their appointment that day was 64-year-old Marcella dela Cruz, braving the floods in Malabon City to undergo cataract surgery.

“I woke up at 2 a.m. and left home at 3 a.m. Outside our house, the water was already knee-deep. We rode a jeepney to get here (TCEC) but all the places we passed by was flooded already,” Dela Cruz shared. 

A Sunday schoolteacher, Marcella endured cataracts in both eyes for a year. After her successful surgery, Marcella wore her biggest smile in a while.

“I appreciate the doctors for volunteering with Tzu Chi because they really make the effort to help patients in need,” she said.

The Criste couple of Antipolo City in Rizal province traveled more than an hour to reach the TCEC in Sta. Mesa, Manila for the 70-year-old Catalino’s cataract surgery.

“I am very satisfied! I feel a lot better now that I have been operated on,” Catalino, who suffered from retinal detachment and cataract, said. 

His wife, Maria Sonia, 74, meanwhile, was all praise for the medical team.

“Despite the strong storm, Tzu Chi Eye Center continued its services. They are consistent, persevering, sacrificial. They could have said ‘let’s close our clinic today because there’s a typhoon’. Yet, here they are. They are truly admirable!” Sonia said.