In a humble Cuban home, a mother waits with anxious hope. Her son, Lesdian, is nine years old. He lives every day in a body that the brain cannot fully command. Because of cerebral palsy and cerebral hypoxia, his muscles cannot hold him upright, support his head, or position his limbs on their own.

What is going on inside his brain

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a neurological condition caused by damage to the brain—damage that happened before, during, or shortly after birth. One of its common causes is a lack of oxygen in the brain, known medically as hypoxic-ischemic injury or cerebral hypoxia.

When the brain is starved of oxygen, even for a few minutes, delicate brain cells may die or malfunction, leading to lasting impairments in movement, muscle tone, posture, and sometimes cognition.

In Lesdian’s case, the damage is such that he cannot control his head - which means a standard wheelchair is not only ineffective, it can be unsafe. Because his head must be supported carefully, what Lesdian needs is a Postural Control/Incline (PCI) chair: a highly specialized assistive device that supports his body safely and comfortably, with head, torso, and foot supports tailored to his needs.

The desperate plea

In March 2025, a plea surfaced on Facebook. Another organization had been trying to find a PCI chair for this boy. A regular wheelchair had arrived, but it was unusable - his head could flop, his body could collapse, and it offered no dignity or safety. The mother was weary, hopeful, and desperate. That plea touched hearts.

When the chair arrived (but not quite complete)

By April 26, 2025, we had secured a PCI chair and delivered it to the mother. The moment was full of emotion - tears, smiles, and thanks. But there was a hitch: the footrests (the lower supports for his legs and feet) were missing. Without them, the chair was still incomplete.

Refusing to accept anything less, our volunteers and local partners went into motion. They put out pleas on Facebook, made calls, searched tirelessly. A week later, the missing foot supports were located and delivered. At last, the chair was whole - fully functional, safe, and ready to serve its purpose.

A mother’s joy, a child’s dignity

When the parts came together, the mother’s expression said it all. Joy. Relief. Gratitude. She cradled the chair, tested the supports, watched them click into place. In that moment, it wasn’t just a piece of equipment - it was love in action.

For Lesdian, this PCI chair is transformative. It means more comfortable positioning, better stability, possibly improved breathing, pressure relief, and dignity. For his mother, it is a sign that she is not alone, that people care, that hope is tangible.

A call to continue

This story isn’t just about one chair or one child. It’s about demonstrating what’s possible when people care and act. Through persistence, partnership, and compassion, we helped fill a gap. But many more gaps remain - more children like Lesdian are waiting.

If you believe that every child deserves dignity, mobility, and love, then please stand with us. Share this story. Donate. Volunteer. Advocate. Because delivering hope doesn’t stop at one doorstep

Delivering More Than a Chair — Delivering Hope for Lesdian