Headaches and nausea have plagued Bima* for countless days and months. Waking up with blinding headaches, which often measure 3 or 4 out of 5 on a pain scale, is his daily reality. Standing in the morning assembly in school fraught with nausea or vomiting is often the tragic shame he wears. Bima, 11 years […]
Little Lala* was being lovingly attended to by her grandmother “Popo”, when the team from Rachel House – nurse Fibrya and community health worker Risma – recently called to their home to check up on this sweet little girl. Lala is a lovely 13-year-old girl, who has been living with a serious illness from the […]
The thought of coming back to Jakarta during a break from studying overseas and doing absolutely nothing besides getting stuck in traffic trying to get to the malls or cafes seemed like a waste to me. Thankfully, I was fortunate to be able to volunteer my time at Rachel House, Indonesia’s first home-based pediatric palliative […]
Triya* was enjoying a big bowl of bakso (meatball soup) when nurse Ria from Rachel House recently visited her home in South Jakarta. Simply seeing Triya eating a full bowl of bakso like any other eight-year-old girl brought a smile to Ria’s face and to that of Triya’s grandmother. This is because it demonstrates that […]
In a tiny one-room home in central Jakarta, a young girl celebrates a very special 5th birthday. On this happy day, little Diana* is surrounded by several generations of her family and some of the nurses from Rachel House; cuddling her new friend with joy and glee – a giant pink Hello Kitty that is […]
Tyas is almost 15. She was just seven years old when she first heard the word “tumour”, back in 2010. She didn’t understand the meaning of the word back then, nor the impact it would have on her future. The agonising treatment, paralysis and the eventual amputation. Tyas’ story is one that tells of the […]
Little Jessika (not her real name) is only seven years old, but has already experienced more adversity in her short years than most of us will in an entire lifetime. Her life has been one medical procedure or tragedy after the other. Yet despite her multiple illnesses and challenges, Jessika remains a happy child who […]
Vini is an 11-year-old girl living with HIV. She weighs just 12kg, less than half the average of 28kg for a girl her age. Vini has been plagued with severe malnutrition due to her illness, which compromises her immune system. While both her parents have died, Vini receives a wonderful dose of love and devotion […]
Reaching the home of five-year-old Caca (not her real name) is a challenge. To enter this kampung (high-density, low-income urban settlement) in East Jakarta, you need to crouch down to pass under a wall. Having successfully navigated this first obstacle, you must then thread your way carefully along narrow, muddy paths beside canals that are fetid in the dry […]
“Ivan weighed only 7.2kgs when he was referred to Rachel House in August – far below the normal weight for an 18-month infant. He was suffering from severe malnutrition and lung tuberculosis, and was being fed through a nasogastric tube, which can cause great discomfort.” As told by Nurse Ana – all photos Ryner St […]