Kato's Story

During the February trip to Uganda, an orthopedic surgeon with the Mercy Uganda group met Kato (Kato means twin). Kato’s legs are malformed at the knees. This 15-year-old boy who adjusted to walking in an unusual way over the years, but he is experiencing increasing pain as a result of his natural growth.

In June, the Mercy Uganda team (including me) took Kato to the hospital for x-rays (Kato rode on the back of Henry’s boda-boda) and Laura returned them to the surgeon for closer examination and possibly a surgery to correct Kato’s legs and relieve the pain. This reply came a few days ago:

The doctor feels strongly that Kato had polio when he was younger. The way his knees look he just feels confident that it had to be that. He said there is basically nothing anyone could do to “fix” his legs. The problem is he uses his hamstrings to power his movements. He’s taught himself how to survive. Had it been corrected earlier in his life then it may not have been as bad. Because he uses his hamstrings he basically has no strength in his quads which is what powers “normal” legs to walk. So if they correct his legs to make them anatomically correct he would be unable to walk. If they put braces on his legs to straighten them, it’ll be the same outcome – no strength in the legs to power movement. I asked what would happen as Kato got older because he’s already in pain while walking and the doctor said he’d eventually end up in a wheelchair and if they did surgery he would more than likely end up in a wheelchair as well.

He ended up getting interrupted by a phone call but he called me on my way home last night and said that he was sorry and he knew he disappointed us. He wishes he could help him as well but doing surgery would probably make Kato’s mobility worse off immediately versus later in life. I know he is sad that he can’t help him because when watched that video of Kato walking I could see the wheels turning in his head. He is a great surgeon and he trained at the Shriner’s in Louisiana which dealt with kids with all sorts of deformities and if anyone could do it I would trust that he could.

So, we said that we need to help Kato get into the best schools so he can go to college and become a professor or pastor or something that he doesn’t have to do hard labor! He is currently sponsored?

I’m sorry for the bad news. As the doctor said there is only 1 person in all of creation that can help Kato…..and we all know who He is.

When I read this reply I felt like hope was snatched away in an instant. Even though we know our Creator will make all things work together for our good, it’s tough to pass through some days unscathed. And when it happens to children…that just seems so much worse. It’s hard not to feel that in America the likelihood of having gotten polio would have been almost zero and that in America surgery would have likely been an option at an early age. But we all know that bad things happen to children in America too.

I am happy to report that Kato does have a sponsor and they are willing to do all they can to help this young man to prosper in life.