TCH Fundraiser
  
     
 
 
   
 
QSI Students at TCH
   
 
Katrina-Director, Jun, Jenny, Dr. Karen Hall-QSI Director, Gale Stubbs-QSI Educator
  
QSI Students and Staff
     
Middle school students and staff from QSI International School of Dongguan recently came to visit TCH. They held a fundraiser at a family night event at their school. Thanks to all the students, staff and parents at QSI Dongguan for raising $2,660.60 for TCH. The funds will go into our Medical Program to fund Xuan’s upcoming cleft lip/palate surgery.
 
     
     
 
 

Programs

Children’s Home Program
New Children Welcomed
 
     
 
                 
 
 
Heng (girl) born Sept. 2007
Abandoned Guangdong Province
Cleft lip/palate
Feng (girl) born Sept. 2007
Abandoned Jiangxi Province
Jaundice
Sha (boy) born July 2007
Abandoned Guangdong Province
Cleft lip/palate & heart defect
Xuan (boy) born July 2007
Abandoned Guangdong Province
Cleft lip/palate
Biao (boy) born Oct. 2007
Abandoned Guangdong Province
Cleft lip/palate
 
     
     
 
  Birthday Celebrations
 
   
     
 

 

We had a birthday celebration for three one-year-olds: Xu, Che and Di.
What a challenge getting all three children in their high chairs, birthday
hats on, hands not in their birthday cake and all smiling at the same time.

  
   
 
Che
   
 
   
 
Di
   
 
       
     
Xu
 
     
     
 
  Visitors
 
   
     
 
On a recent trip to Hong Kong Russell Raines and his
mother Lynn, both from the United States, decided to travel
to Dongguan China, to spend the day with the children at
TCH, and most especially with Yi. Thank you Russell and
Lynn for coming to visit and for providing the funding for
Yi’s recent cleft lip surgery and future cleft palate surgery.
 
 
     
     
 
  Medical Care Program
Basic Medical Care
 
   
   
   
     
 
 

Hui was born June 20, 2007, with club feet, a developmental deformation that can involve one foot or both feet. As the fetus is developing, the tendons and ligaments in the back and inside of the foot fail to keep pace with the growth of the rest of the foot. As a result, these tendons and ligaments tether the back and inner parts of the foot down, causing the foot to point downwards and then twist inwards. The bones of the feet are therefore held in an abnormal position. The foot is turned, stiff and cannot be brought to a normal position. Treatment consists of casting, surgery and bracing and is most effective if started soon after birth.

Casting—The foot and leg are put into a plaster cast for seven days to maintain the position. The casting is repeated weekly until the foot is in the correct position.

Surgery—The doctor will usually cut the Achilles tendon to complete the correction of the foot. The final casting will remain for 3 weeks.

Bracing—This is a critical part of the treatment. For the first 3 months the brace must be worn 23 hours a day. For the next 2-4 years the brace is worn every time the child sleeps.
 
     
 
 
 
 
 
     
     
 
  Surgery
 
   
     
 
 
 
     
     
 
  Foster Care Program
 
   
     
 
 
 
     
 
While Pian was recovering from cleft palate surgery, we celebrated her first birthday in the hospital.
  
 
     
     
 
  True Hero
 
   
     
 
  There are many people working together to make a difference in the lives of children that come to TCH.
Each month we will spotlight one of those individuals as our True Hero.
   
  Marla and her husband, Jim, moved from Danville, Kentucky, to China five years ago; first to Zhongshan and
then Dongguan. Marla has more than 23 years of nursing experience including 14 years as a pediatric nurse.
     
 
When Marla heard about TCH, she said, “I love children
and want to come play with them.” Marla comes to “play”
at TCH on a regular basis and is also a great resource for
questions we have regarding medical care for the children.
   
  When eight-month-old Gu came to TCH, she had very
weak muscle tone in her legs and was unable to walk.
Marla developed an exercise/therapy program for Gu and
twice per day a caregiver would work through the program
with Gu to strengthen her muscles. After six months of
intense therapy, Gu began to walk with assistance and today
she can walk by herself.
 
Marla and En
  
     
  Thank you Marla for helping to make a difference not only in Gu’s life but all the other children that have
come to TCH as well. You are a True Hero!
 
     
     
 
  Update on Ling
 
   
 
     
  You would not recognize little “Ling Ling!” Her new English name is Zoey. She has grown and filled out so much. She actually has chubby cheeks!  
     
 

I got in touch with the Regional Center for Early Intervention as soon as we got back from China for her to be assessed since she is so developmentally delayed. She has been working with an “Infant Stimulus Coordinator” and a physical therapist and is starting occupational therapy soon. We have been at the doctor’s every month, sometimes twice a month, to assess her physically and catch her up on vaccinations. She is quite healthy, except underweight, and there are no residual repercussions of the repaired cleft palate. She is so sweet, has such a pleasant demeanor and is so easy-going!

I am so grateful for the Regional Center. They provide so many services! With a prescription from the doctor they send me cases of Pediasure for free! They are paying for pre-school! As soon as she turned two on October 19, she was eligible for the pre-school that is just down the street. She is there everyday! In just the two weeks that she has been there her progress is remarkable! Working with the physical therapist at home she has learned how to pull herself up. Now she is real close to walking!

  
     
  Being around all those kids and toys and people is just doing wonders! My mother gave her a walker for her birthday which I keep at school. Partly because it is too wide to go in my home and partly because she is so little they were afraid she’d get knocked over by the kids! It worked out perfect and she scoots around in it. Her legs were so weak, with no muscle tone, but now she is getting strength there and in her hips. She loves school and claps her hands all the time. She blows kisses, plays peek-a-boo, waves bye-bye, and is starting to feed herself. She picks up little cereals and puts them in her mouth. She is like a one-year-old but progressing rapidly!  
     
 

She eats a lot! However, she still needs to catch up in her weight so I load her up on butter, olive oil, cream, and Pediasure—what a great diet!

She is always smiling and giggles a lot. She hardly ever cries. In the morning she wakes up at times and just plays by herself without making a sound. I go in her room to get her and she is bright-eyed and clapping! At night she puts her head down on the pill at 8 and goes right to sleep! I don’t even have a chance to read her a bedtime story! And sleeps through the night!

Everything is a joy to her and she loves her big sister! Sophie is an amazing big sister, even more than I expected! She is so protective of Zoey and plays with her, bathes with her, and changes her diapers! I don’t even ask her to!
 
     
 

During the summer we went to the beach which she loved and we went swimming a lot in pools. She puts her head in the water on her own and loves to splash! She really loves the water!

We are having so much fun! She just fits into our little family and enhances every aspect! I love sharing the book you all put together for her. Thank you so much. It means a lot to me to have all that information since we normally have so little information about these orphans.

Sophie talks about our trip to China all the time and wants to go back and get another sister!

—Lisa

  
     
 
     
 
  Vital Statistics
 
   
     
 
 

Children who received care—55

Surgeries performed—51

Children transitioned to foster care—30

Children adopted—7

True Children’s home relies on donations from individuals, organizations and corporations. One hundred percent of donated funds goes into one of our four programs: children’s home, medical care, foster care or community outreach.

True Children’s Home is affiliated with China Care foundation, a 501c3 non-profit organization. Donations to TCH are completely tax deductible. All administrative expenses are underwritten by Alan and Twila True.

If you would like more information on how you can help, contact us at info@truechildrenshome.org or visit our website at www.truechildrenshome.org.

For monetary donations, please make the check payable to China Care Foundation. In the Memo/For section
of the check write “True Children’s Home.” All checks must be drawn on a U.S. bank. Send your check to
True Children’s Home, c/o True North America, P.O. Box 51057, Irvine, CA 92619-1057.

  
 
     
     
 
Working together we can make a difference in the lives of children...one child at a time!