Heisman Trophy winner homecoming launches outreach in the Philippines

Artist rendering of CURE
 Philippines. (Photo by CURE)

Philippines (CURE/MNN) ―CURE International will be opening a new children's hospital in Davao City, Philippines.

The dream will likely come true sometime in mid-2013. It is CURE's first in the Philippines and 12th worldwide, and will be on the island of Mindanao--a particularly poor area of the Philippines.

It will be a 30-bed surgical facility focusing primarily on orthopedics. The groundbreaking is slated for January 2012 and will be a celebration of the first project between CURE and The Tim Tebow Foundation. 

That partnership was announced in October 2011 and is a sort of homecoming for Tebow. The starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos and a Heisman Trophy winner at the University of Florida says, "I was born in the Philippines, and my parents have been missionaries to that area since 1985." He adds, "I'm excited to be a part of this hospital that will bring healing to thousands of children who would not otherwise have access to care."

With 80 million children suffering from clubfoot and other surgically correctable deformities, it's not hard to see the need for CURE's outreach. Dr. Scott Harrison, founder and president of CURE International, says, "We feel blessed that the Tim Tebow Foundation has chosen to partner with us to bring first-world quality care and spiritual healing to the children of the Philippines."

The construction project is expected to cost $3 million, with donors from CURE and the Tebow Foundation sharing the costs. Due to the poverty in the area, about 30% of the children treated at the hospital will be unable to pay for treatment.   One of CURE's most basic operating principles is that their teams will not turn away a patient due to an inability to pay, ethnic background or religious affiliation.

CURE International's mission is to transform the lives of disabled children and their families in the developing world through medical and spiritual healing, serving all by establishing specialty teaching hospitals, building partnerships, and advocating for these children.

As part of their service to the community, CURE also incorporates a faith component in a culturally-relevant and sensitive way. Their team works in the name of Christ and often has opportunities to share their faith with patients

One way this component will be included in the Philippines hospital will be through Timmy's Playroom. The play area will provide workers an opportunity to incorporate faith, hope, and love to children before and after their surgeries. It will be the Tim Tebow Foundation's first international playroom.

The Tim Tebow Foundation was created in January 2010. Its mission is to bring faith, hope, and love to those needing a brighter day in their darkest hour of need. The foundation is accomplishing this mission through the building of playrooms in children's hospitals, supporting orphans worldwide, and making "dreams come true" for children with life-threatening illnesses.