Global Fund for Children

In 2015, nine-year-old Zy Lee reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro with his father, Walter. It was a remarkable achievement for any child – but for Zy, it was a triumph that his family once considered impossible.

Zy has physical disabilities: he was born in 2006 with no right leg, a malformed left leg, half of a right arm, and dislocated hip joints. Otherwise, he was just like any other baby – and a delight to his parents, Walter and Nok, who live in Bangkok with Zy and his two older siblings.

Like all parents, Walter and Nok wanted their child to have every opportunity to reach his potential. But they struggled to find effective treatment for Zy in Thailand and elsewhere in Southeast Asia.