GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 16 May)—“I have found my confidence. I am no longer ashamed,” Josie Concepcion said years after the traumatic event of her life.
Josie, alongside her son, was one of the victims of a massive explosion near a market in Sultan Kudarat 15 years ago, according to a report released by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
Luckily, her son was safe with a minor injury. But for her, life went straight downhill.
She went through multiple surgeries to recover her left leg which was badly fractured because of the explosion.
Healthcare professionals noticed that her legs were not of the same length anymore, which explained why she had a hard time walking.
She was given crutches by a volunteer of the Philippine Red Cross she met during that time.
Josie did not just struggle physically but also emotionally and mentally, the ICRC noted. As years passed, she felt like a burden and a useless mother to her family. When she attends Mass or walks outside, people would look at her with derision.
People would mock her saying, “Here comes the cripple.” Josie said it pains her to hear those words.
“I wanted to escape. I wanted to end my suffering. But in a fleeting moment, I thought of my family. ‘What will happen to my children? My husband?’” she was quoted in the ICRC report.
With all those struggles she faced, her husband was her biggest supporter. She felt love and kept going with her life despite all the mockery and gossip she hears.
In 2018, a social worker mentioned that the Davao Jubilee Foundation (DJF) has a program that helps people who were victims of armed conflict.
The DJF program strives to make a positive impact on the lives of people affected by armed conflicts. Through this initiative, individuals in need receive specially crafted devices designed to enhance their mobility and independence. The ICRC supports the DJF’s physical rehabilitation services as well as donations for food and transportation for the beneficiaries.
Josie was told that she would no longer have to use crutches if she uses an orthoprosthesis. She was uncertain about that suggestion but she gave it a try and visited the DJF’s office.
After being fitted and learning how to walk with the orthoprosthesis, Josie’s life slowly came back to what it used to be.
The orthoprosthesis, according to the ICRC, serves as an attachment to Josie’s shorter leg, giving her equal footing with the good leg. This secures her balance with both feet planted on the ground, eliminating the need for crutches and ultimately enabling Josie to do the things she loves with ease.
Years after bearing with all the discrimination and mockery of other people, her wish to walk the way she walked before came true. With the help of DJF and ICRC, she is ready to face the world more confidently without thinking about what people might say about her. She is thankful for the support given to her.
Josie now owns a small sari-sari store which she started through ICRC’s micro economic initiatives project—providing productive grants to affected Mindanawons to start or revive their own business.
Now, her only wish is to walk up the stage and proudly hang a medal on her son without the crutches she’s been using for the past years.
“I have nothing to leave to them but their education. I encouraged my son, who is a consistent honor student, to keep up his good work. It is my dream to go up on stage for his graduation. Before, every time he received an award, I refused to go on stage because of my crutches. Now, I want to go on stage without it,” she said. (Zaki Sarmiento / MindaNews)
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