13/01/2026
"I love my nephew, and I feel sorry for him. He is worthy to be loved and cared for, no matter what. He never chose to be born with a cleft," Maysa, Jerry's aunt, shared while in tears.
Jerry was born with a cleft lip and palate, like his father. Unable to accept his condition, shock and sorrow replaced the joy of his birth. Thankfully, Maysa, Jerry’s aunt, stepped in to raise him. She welcomed Jerry as her own, while her mother, Jerry’s grandmother, worked as a corn farmer to provide what little they could. The family, part of the Talaandig Tribe, lived deep in the mountains where healthcare was hard to reach, delaying Jerry’s treatment. Feeding him was a daily struggle, often requiring Maysa to modify his bottle just so he could drink. “My only prayer is for Jerry to get the surgery he needs,” Maysa said. “I fear the world will not be kind to him as he grows.” Still, her love never wavered. Jerry called her Mama, and she promised never to leave his side.
Maysa’s prayers were finally answered when the Persons with Disabilities Affairs Office, with the local government and Tebow CURE, offered Jerry a sponsored surgery and transportation to the hospital. He underwent his cleft lip corrective surgery in January of 2025 and his cleft palate surgery in May of the same year, making him cleft-free! "Jerry can eat well now that the gap in his upper lip has been closed," Maysa noted.
Thank you to our partner, Smile Train, for enabling us to provide comprehensive cleft treatment that helped Jerry and Maysa.
