LWB Community

Giving Thanks for Adaptive Equipment

Wheelchairs and other adaptive equipment such as leg braces and walkers are vital to the mobility and development of children with handicaps. They can help a kid be a kid…as Chelsie is so willingly demonstrating below!

Chelsie has starred in several blogs lately (“Chelsie: Longing to Learn” and “The One and Only Chelsie”) because she is available for adoption on the shared list. Finding her forever family would be a dream come true for Chelsie because she desperately wants to attend school and is currently unable to do so in China due to her disability. She is smart as a whip and ready to learn.
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Busy Boy Landon

Four-year-old Landon was introduced on our blog in May, and he continues to grow and develop new skills while he waits to be matched with a family.

As busy as always, Landon eats well to maintain his energy, gobbling up his vegetables and rice and finishing it off with milk and sometimes a treat. Landon has a twinkle in his eye and is described as being a bit mischievous! He likes to play with his friends at school, where he can run about during the day and build with blocks.
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Chelsie: Longing to Learn

While many children in our families are getting ready to go back to school but wishing summer would not end, seven-year-old Chelsie’s dream of attending school has not yet been realized due to being wheelchair-bound.

Our reports indicate that Chelsie is an extremely bright girl who is eager to learn. Currently she lives with a foster family in a rural area outside of Hefei.  Chelsie is learning to read and write at home with their help and can now read some simple children’s books.  Chelsie draws beautifully and enjoys making pictures. This determined girl has a strong desire and ability to learn.
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Kai

I seldom think about my limitations, and they never make me sad. Perhaps there is just a touch of yearning at times; but it is vague, like a breeze among flowers. — Helen Keller

What a dedicated foster father Kai has! We love the adoration on his face and hope that he will instill a sense of security in nearly two-year-old Kai, who will certainly need every advantage that he can get as he begins his life. Little Kai was diagnosed with retinoblastoma (a cancerous tumor in the retina) and had surgery to remove his right eyeball in January.
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Liam’s Luck is Changing

Seven-year-old Liam has faced many challenges in his short life. Not only was he born with Down Syndrome and cerebral palsy, but he also has several heart conditions including VSD, PDA, PFO and PH.  It appears that Liam has a severe case of bad luck, but that may be about to change.  His orphanage in Hefei is willing to submit his file for adoption once he recovers from his heart surgery!

We are looking for donors to help fund Liam’s heart surgery which will ultimately give him a chance for a family.  If you’d like to learn more about Liam and how you could help give him a chance, please visit his sponsor page. You could be Liam’s lucky charm!

Introducing Landon!

This marks Landon’s first appearance on the LWB Community, so we want to make sure he is properly introduced. Landon is four and a half years old and lives in foster care in Hefei, Anhui province. His Chinese name means “outstanding.” Needless to say, we would agree! We chose “Landon” as his English name which can mean “long hill,” a name which seems fitting when you read about his energy and the long hill he has had to climb to be the healthy, lively boy he is today.

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Serious James

At the orphanage in Hefei lives a rather serious boy named James.  James is eight years old and came onto LWB’s radar screen when he was evaluated by our medical program for a possible gastrointestinal issue. Although we were pleased that he did not require treatment at that time, we have remained interested in his progress. When we saw him on the shared list as a child eligible for adoption, we knew we had to spread the word about him. Perhaps a family of his own can bring a smile to his face!
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Snowed In in Anhui

As many of you may know, Anhui experienced a terrible snowstorm last week that affected 1.9 million people. Thousands of homes have collapsed, hundreds of thousands of crops have been damaged, and direct economic losses in the millions will be the result.

When we heard about the unusually early storm, we were naturally quite concerned about the 14 children and their nannies in the Anhui Cleft Healing Home (ACHH) in Hefei. Were they warm enough? How would they make out without power?
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A Smile is Worth a Thousand Words

It’s always good to hear that one of our medical children has improved from the surgery or care that LWB provides. But it’s even better to SEE it!

Almost 2-year old Layla suffered from a condition that caused her abdominal organs to push up against one of her lungs causing recurring severe pneumonia. She desperately needed surgery.
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The Kindness of a Stranger

On the morning of July 31st, an elderly man was exercising in the park. He heard a baby cry when he passed one of the park entrances and felt concerned. After looking around, he discovered a newborn in a cardboard box and immediately called the police.