fbpx

Cart

  • USD $
  • HKD $
  • CAD $
  • AUD $
  • EUR €
  • GBP £
  • PHP ₱
  • SGD $
Total
US $0
Checkout

Oops! Your cart is empty

View great gifts
  1. Home
  2. Blog
  3. A Blooming Flower
ICM Bases

A Blooming Flower

“Please help our child receive surgery. We want her to grow up normally,  become happy and be successful in the future.” This was Jonamie and…

“Please help our child receive surgery. We want her to grow up normally,  become happy and be successful in the future.” This was Jonamie and Jeperlito’s plea for their three-year-old daughter, Jasmine.   Jasmine appeared to be a healthy seven-month-old until one day she began to vomit uncontrollably. Her parents rushed Jasmine to the hospital in their home province of Koronadal, where she immediately underwent an emergency colostomy procedure. The cost of the surgery was huge, especially for people living in poverty with no health insurance. Jeperlito, Jasmine’s father, only earns US$66.67 (PHP3,000) a month as a laborer climbing coconut trees. Jeperlito worked longer hours hoping to earn more money, but as he only earned US$0.11(PHP5) for each tree he climbed, the impoverished family had to borrow money to settle the hospital bill. A follow-up procedure was needed to close the opening made in Jasmine’s abdomen. No matter how many more coconut trees Jeperlito climbed, the family could not afford an additional surgery to see Jasmine restored to full health. Thankfully, ICM’s Medical Mercy Fund was able to give them hope by locating a donor who was able to cover the cost of the procedure. pt-_cyrene On September 6, 2016, Jasmine underwent her colostomy closure and was discharged nine days later. ICM’s Medical Care Coordinator continued to follow up with the family and was able to step in and help when Jasmine was admitted to the hospital again in October, suffering from pneumonia and asthma. Fortunately, after a few days, she was well enough to be  discharged and returned home to finish her course of antibiotics. cyrene_post_surgery_photo Jasmine has always loved playing with her friends in the river near her home, but prior to her operation, she was not able to for fear of infection. However,  because of your generosity, Jasmine is able to enjoy swimming again. Now fully recovered from the colostomy, Jasmine is looking forward to starting school next year, setting her on a path to a promising future. In the lives of many that live on subsistent level, one medical crisis can wipe out any progress made in the fight out of poverty. ICM works with families to help them remove as many barriers to quality health care as possible. In 2015-16, ICM assisted 183 patients with surgical needs and 2,069 patients with non-surgical needs.   By Val Chan, ICM Volunteer  

About the author

Louise Joachimowski

With a passion for storytelling, a love for the poor, and sharp eye for analysis, Louise is ICM’s Hong Kong Executive Director. Since 2010, Louise has served ICM in Bacolod City and Hong Kong, as well as traveling the world to share ICM’s work. Spending literally thousands of hours alongside the ultra-poor and hearing their stories, she loves nothing more than sharing the stories of heroism and hope that ICM participants have to tell, whether through music, video, writing or photography.

Did you know? ICM delivers Transform for just over US$10 per person.

Consider your support

Please partner with ICM today to bring help, hope and change

Donate Now

Learn more about ICM

Melvie’s journey to food business success

  • 19 January 2026

Healing, hope, and a little boy’s future

  • 19 January 2026

Ryan’s Story: How Surgery Transformed a Young Life

  • 24 October 2025

When Sustainable Development Meets Transformative Hope

  • 23 September 2025

Supporting Transformation: Eastern Communications’ Partnership with ICM

  • 23 September 2025

The ICM community is full of people who care about effective, efficient, research-backed solutions in the fight against ultra-poverty. We would love to have you join us!

Stay in touch

Stay up-to-date on news, programs, and more by joining the ICM community.