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A compassionate team from Bradford Hospitals in United Kingdom are bringing joy to children in Pakistan by donating surplus orthotic equipment to the Khadeejah Children’s Care Centre. Orthotics Clinical Lead Lisa Buckley and Orthotist Biko Bourgeois became involved after coincidentally meeting a patient and her family at West Riding House.
Lisa shared, “I first learned about the Khadeejah Children’s Care Centre in August 2024, when seven-year-old Khadeejah and her parents came to see me. Khadeejah has complex needs and has been receiving orthotic care for several years. During their visit, her parents mentioned they had set up a centre in Jhelum, their hometown, designed to help children with disabilities like Khadeejah, who otherwise wouldn’t have access to such services due to poverty and distance. The centre also offers respite for families and siblings.”
Residing in BD5, Khadeejah’s parents asked Lisa if any unused orthotic equipment could be donated to the centre, since devices and supplies are both costly and hard to find in Pakistan. Her father, Amir Idris, explained, “The centre is entirely funded by our family, so any donated equipment is a huge help. The cost of supplies quickly adds up, and unfortunately, the quality of equipment available locally is nowhere near what we have here in the UK.”
Amir continued, “We started the centre because many children in our village have cerebral palsy (CP); out of about 174 registered disabled children, most have physical disabilities caused by CP. However, we’ve reached capacity at 100 children, and the remaining 74 are currently on a waiting list. These children have greatly benefited from our on-site physiotherapists and visiting orthotics team from Lahore.”
Since its opening in May 2024, the centre has provided orthotic support to 98 children. Amir noted, “All the families who come to us are extremely poor—some cannot even afford basic food, and medical care is out of reach. Government hospitals exist but are distant, and travel costs are prohibitive for many villagers.”
After checking the team’s storage, Lisa located a few old pairs of children’s orthotic boots, typically discarded after single use, and donated them. “When I asked if other orthotics would be useful, I was told they’d be gratefully accepted, as parts and materials can be recycled and reused,” she added.
Since then, the orthotics team and Khadeejah’s family have formed a close partnership, with the team continuing to donate unused single-use equipment that cannot be reused by the Trust. “Most items were initially given to patients here at our clinic, but have been returned unused or still in excellent condition,” Lisa said. “So far, we have donated footwear, arm, ankle, hand, and foot supports, and anything else that is clean and usable. Biko and I are deeply passionate about our work, and it is truly rewarding to know our contributions are improving other children’s lives.”
Lisa and Biko regularly hear from Khadeejah’s parents about the centre’s progress and the impact of their donations, and they remain committed to supporting this remarkable project.
Expressing his gratitude, Khadeejah’s father said the support will be “life-changing.”
“We’ve already witnessed several children take their first steps after receiving foot splints or specialist shoes from our centre, and I’m confident we’ll see similar successes with the equipment donated by Bradford Hospitals. We’ll be sure to keep you updated on our progress. Your support means so much to us. We created this centre as a legacy for our daughter Khadeejah, hoping to give back to a community with limited access to basic healthcare. It’s been incredible to see how the project has grown since it began.”
The Centre occupies a spacious 4,000 square feet, with separate office accommodation in an outbuilding.
