A World of Help: Little 6 year-old Raebine Tibweana gets a world of help at Shriners Hospital for Children in Honolulu after being diagnosed on Christmas Island in Kiribati with both her left and right hips dislocated, plus dystonia. Attending Raebine are, from left, nurse Cherlyn Caneda, Raebine's mom, Shriners Chief of Staff Dr. Craig Ono, and PIMA volunteer translator Kaitibo Timon.

Another Shriners Miracle

/in /by

Little six-year-old Raebine Tibweana has just returned home to Christmas Island in Kiribati after more than two months at Shriners Hospital for Children in Honolulu, where she underwent successful surgeries for two displaced hips and treatment for involuntary muscle contractions.

“It’s another miracle performed by the wonderful physicians and nurses at Shriners Hospital in Honolulu,” said Carlton Smith, president of Pacific Islands Medical Aid, Inc. (PIMA) “She’s on her way to recovery and will return to Honolulu in a year’s time for reevaluation,” he said.

Tebweana and other children from the isolated central Pacific nation of Kiribati needing orthopedic intervention come to Honolulu as a result of a special agreement between Shriners, PIMA and the Kiribati Ministry of Health, Carlton said.

Under this worthwhile program, Shriners sends physicians to Kiribati once a year to examine needy children and place them on a priority list for help. Shriners provides all medical care without cost, under the direction of chief of staff Dr. Craig Ono.

The Kiribati Ministry of Health pays for round-trip airfare for the child and chaperone (most often a parent), and PIMA takes care of visa fees and provides all necessary housing, transportation and translation services on Honolulu.

You might also like
Iakobwa in wheelchair at airport heading home after more than a year at Shriners Hospital for Children in Honolulu. Iakobwa Now Learns to Walk; Shriners Brings About Miracle
Help save these islanders; Eight need urgent heart surgery Help save these islanders; Eight need urgent heart surgery
Surgeon Returns - General surgeon Dr. Larry Falk, here seeing a young Kiribati patient, is now scheduled to return to Christmas Island in November to continue his prolific volunteer work there. PIMA Volunteer Surgeon Works to Help Infrastructure
Advance Eye Team: Flanking Dr. Jack Mason ( second from left ) and Dr. Larry Falk are Kiribati biomedical officer Taaren, at left, and nurse Iokabwa, who helped with patients and distributed hundreds of pairs of eyeglasses. Both Taaren and Iokabwa serve at the small Ronton Hospital on Christmas Island, where eye surgeries will take place this summer. Intrepid Volunteer Physicians Venture To Aid Eye Patients
Helping the blind to see again. Blind Islanders Can See Again; Team Performs 48 Surgeries
Initial Exam - Dr. Craig Ono, chief of staff at Shriners Hospital for Children in Honolulu, shown examining Iokabwa, was always hopeful that Iokabwa would walk again and be able to use his hands productively. His care continues under Dr. Ono's direction. Shriners Honolulu Helps Little Boy Who Walks On His Knees
Transport to Outer Islands: Our PIMA eye team is preparing to fly to the next small, isolated island of Teraina the Central Pacific . There are no doctors on the outer islands. Patients found to be needing eye surgery will be sent by boat to Christmas Island for surgery at the small hospital there. Surgeries will be performed by our eye surgery team, led by Drs. Paul Jorizzo and Paul Imperia from Medford, Oregon. Diabetes Attack Team Plans Twice Yearly Expeditions
Training Begins: Our Diabetes Program leader, Diabetologist Dr. Elizabeth Beale from the University of Southern California, ( at right ) begins nurse training on Christmas Island (Kiritimati) in the hopes of beginning to reduce the disease of epidemic proportions there, where more than 30 per cent of adults suffer with Type 2 diabetes. New Diabetes Program To Hit Devastating Island Epidemic