On rare occasions we come across unique surgical cases like Miss M’s.

Miss M’s village was about as poor as you can get. Her father was a fisherman until the fish ran out! He worked when he could find it and his little family made do with the little they had.

The one thing that jumps out at you when you first meet this family is not the poverty but the overwhelming love they have for their children.

Like many children in the Philippines, Miss M was born with not all her skull bones fully developed due to a lack of nutritious food available to her mother. As a result, fluid would leak from her brain cavity through a pin prick hole in her skull and form a sack hanging from her forehead.

To repair this problem was completely out of the families financial abilities. That was until a team from the Ruel Foundation came through the village.

Miss M immediately caught the eye of Pauline Curtis-Smith, the CEO of Ruel Foundation and together with the family we were able to offer help.

Miss M’s Surgical Journey

The long journeys from Calapan City to Manila began. The surgical solution was to literally peel Miss M’s face back to repair the hole in her skull – not a pleasant nor cheap operation.

Once the initial operation was completed we had to wait until Miss M was twelve years of age before we could start the plastic surgeries.

The most moving part of Miss M’s journey was that this little girl was always positive, bright and happy. Her disfigurement never bother her thanks to her loving parents and our Ruel Foundation team.

While Miss M may have to have more plastic surgeries when she is a bit older, she is thrilled with her new look and attends the village school just outside Calapan City.

Thanks to our donors and the several thousand dollars they donated, this beautiful little girl now has a bright future.

Miss M is a beautiful young lady, full of confidence and charm!