


Waiting List
Children waiting to be helped...
Meet Carlos
Carlos is 19 years old and from Tipitapa, Nicaragua. At 13 years old, Carlos lost both of his legs in a tragic car accident. Prior to the accident, Carlos was working to help his family make ends meet as a street vendor with his mother. In 2017 Carlos became a member of the GMRF family. He received two prosthetic legs and slowly learned to walk again. His hard work paid off, as he walked out of the hospital on his way home, after having been limited to bed or wheelchair for the previous three years. Carlos will be returning to the Dare to Dream House for prosthetic refittings and continued rehabilitation work.
Carlos loves to spend his free time dancing and meeting new people. He would like to be an agriculturist in Nicaragua one day, and he is passionate about learning and getting back to school. We are looking forward to Carlos receiving his new prosthetic legs so he can continue walking, dancing, and achieving all he wants in life and more!
Meet Cesar
Cesar is a 16-year-old returning patient from Honduras. He first became a member of GMRF after losing mobility due to a tragic accident in which his older brother accidentally shot him in the neck. Cesar’s original treatment plan was to train his body to regulate his bowel movements. Due to his tenacity and the amazing doctors and staff at Shriners Hospital in Philadelphia, he ended up gaining movement and walking with the assistance of a walker. His recovery was a miracle, as everyone thought he would be paralyzed for the rest of his life.
Cesar was due to return earlier this year, but due to the pandemic, his travel was postponed to 2021. Cesar will be returning for a follow-up appointment and medical assessment. We look forward to seeing Cesar again and are inspired by his courage and perseverance.
Meet Josiane
Josiane is 20 years old and from Rwanda. Josiane was born with a congenital defect in her right leg which eventually resulted in its amputation. Josiane first joined the GMRF in 2016 when she was fit for a prosthetic leg.
Josiane will be returning to our Dare to Dream House for a prosthetic refitting and continued rehabilitative care. We look forward to helping Josiane through this next step in her medical care and are excited to see all that she accomplishes in the years to come.
Meet Marzia
Marzia is a 14-year-old returning patient from Daikundi, Afghanistan. At seven years old Marzia was injured from a gunshot, losing an eye and suffering severe damages to her mouth and face. She lost her father and a sibling in this accident. During Marzia’s visit with GMRF, she received a prosthetic eye and surgery for her eye and facial reconstruction.
Marzia is due to return to our Dare to Dream House for further surgeries for her gunshot wounds. We look forward to welcoming her back and seeing all that she can accomplish in the future.
Meet Baraka
Baraka is 11 years old and from Kipeta village in Western Tanzania. At only six years old Baraka suffered a witchcraft-related attack. He lost his hand and sustained various other injuries. His mother was also seriously injured in the attack. Baraka has been cared for by the organization “Under the Same Sun” in Tanzania and has been a patient of GMRF two times so far. He is awaiting a third visit for a prosthetic refitting.
Baraka’s hobbies include dancing and telling jokes. We look forward to continuing care as Baraka continues to grow. We hope that his new prosthetic will help keep smiling, dancing, and laughing.
Meet Emmanuel
Emmanuel is seventeen years old and a returning patient from Tanzania. Emmanuel suffered a brutal attack where he lost his arm, the remaining fingers on his other hand, part of his tongue, and multiple teeth. The GMRF has supported Emmanual three times, helping to arrange surgery on his thumb and prosthetic arms as well as major orthodontic work via our Ally in Care McClean Dental in Staten Island, New York.
Thanks to “Under the Same Sun” in Tanzania, Emmanuel now attends a private boarding school. Emmanuel loves to study, play soccer, swim, and eat pizza. We are looking forward to seeing Emmanuel when he returns for a prosthetic refitting in 2021.
Meet Mwigulu
Mwigulu is a 17-year-old returning patient from Msia Village, Tanzania. Mwigulu was a victim of the atrocious acts of violence committed against albino children in Tanzania. On his way home from school, his left arm was chopped off above the elbow. Since the attack, Mwigulu has traveled to our Dare to Dream House two times for prosthetic fittings and refittings. He plans to return for another prosthetic refitting.
Mwigulu loves to spend his time swimming and playing video games. Mwigulu dreams of becoming the president of Tanzania one day! We are grateful that we have had the opportunity to help Mwigulu do the things he loves and we are looking forward to his visit for a new prosthetic arm in 2021.
Meet Pendo
Pendo is 20 years old and from northwestern Tanzania. At fifteen years old she was attacked by three men who brutally cut off her right arm. Pendo has been aided in her recovery by “Under the Same Sun” in Tanzania and she has been a two time patient of GMRF. As a patient of GMRF, Pendo was given a prosthetic right arm.
Pendo is passionate about learning and she would like to be a doctor one day. In her free time, she loves activities that make her laugh, cooking, and studying so she can accomplish her goals. We look forward to seeing Pendo for a prosthetic refitting so she can continue pursuing her dreams.
Meet Waad
Waad is a 19-year-old returning patient from Iraq. You may recognize him from his feature in our 60 Minutes interview from 2011. Waad was injured in 2008 by a roadside bombing in Khanaqin, Iraq on his way home from school. Waad faced severe facial injuries and lost his left leg, right arm, and right eye in the accident. Waad will be returning to the Dare to Dream House to receive phase two of facial surgery, a prosthetic left leg, and rehabilitative therapy.
Waad loves to spend his free time playing video games and soccer. When he is here for treatment, Waad loves to explore New York City! We are excited for Waad to complete the next stage of his treatment so he can return home stronger, healthier, and ready to continue doing the things that he loves!
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Support Us
Your donation supports medical treatment, transportation, lodging and rehabilitation in the United States for amputee and injured children from the U.S., and around the world.
The Global Medial Relief Fund (GMRF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity recognized by the IRS. All donations are tax-deductible.
Our Federal Tax ID: 13-3987722.
Because young children grow at an average rate of 3/4” (1.9 cm) annually, artificial limbs are replaced approximately every 6-12 months. An example would be, if a 10 year-old child lost a limb, they would likely need 20 prosthetic replacements by the time they reached the age of 21.
GMRF is committed to each child we help until they turn 21, which has led to over a 1200 follow up visits.
Other Ways to Support Us
Donate via Credit Card or Check
We also accept donations via money orders and wire, stocks or bonds transfers.
Please contact us for more information:
[email protected] - 718-448-6984
Honor & Memorial Gifts
Honor your loved ones by making a “Gift of Hope” to help amputee children.
✦Bequests ✦Birthdays ✦Celebrations ✦Holidays ✦Memorials
About Us
The non-profit, non-partisan Global Medical Relief Fund “Federal Tax ID: 13-3987722” aids children who are missing or have lost the use of limbs or eyes, or have been severely burned, or have been injured due to war, natural disaster or illness.
The Global Medical Relief Fund (GMRF) was originally created in 1997 by one person working out of a small apartment on Staten Island, New York. Since then, we at GMRF, along with partners-in-effort, doctors, nurses, hospitals and community volunteers, have worked for 20 years helping more than 375 hopeless children, many of them amputees and burn victims, or victims of war, violent acts or natural disasters, who have little or no medical resources.
We continue to provide children from America and countries worldwide, with vital medical care and on-going treatment so that they can eventually heal and return home to grow up and become thriving members of their own cities, towns, communities, and countries.
What higher mission is there than aiding innocent, victimized children? Read more about our founder
Meet our Founder - Elissa Montanti

A child’s plea for help asking “God and all merciful people to help me getting prosthetics”, forever changed Elissa Montanti's life.
In 1997, Elissa reached out to the then UN Ambassador from Bosnia, with an offer to send school supplies and toys to the child victims of the war in Bosnia & Herzegovina. The Ambassador responded by reading her a young boy’s letter. The Bosnian child, Kenan Malkic, had lost both arms and one leg when he had stepped on a land mine. Elissa quickly comprehended the far more urgent needs of the children in war-torn Bosnia. She immediately recruited airlines, hospitals, physicians and prosthetic companies to donate their services. Shortly after Kenan and his mother arrived at JFK Airport. During their four months stay with Elissa, and through Elissa’s tireless actions, Kenan received two new arms, a new leg, and a new life.
Soon after, out of the walk-in closet of her one-bedroom home, Elissa founded the non-profit, non-partisan Global Medical Relief. Since its founding in 1997, Elissa and GMRF have helped over 375 children from over 50 countries. The injured children come from regions that offer only minimal medical care, poorly fitted prostheses, or none at all.
Ms. Montanti lives in Staten Island, New York. Her passions include music, painting and poetry. Her poetry has won recognition from the American Poetry Society.
Read the inspiring book that tells Elissa’s personal story of her founding of the Global Medical Relief Fund.
I'll Stand By You: One Woman's Mission to Heal the Children of the World
Book is available for sale through these retailers:
Honors / Notable Mentions:
Elissa, dubbed "the Saint of Staten Island” by People Magazine was recognized as a CNN Hero in 2018. Her numerous awards include the Amnesty International “Modern Day Saints” award, the “Heart of a Woman” award from Dr. Phil and his wife, Robin, Wagner College De Vinci award New York State Women of Distinction and Staten Island Advance’s 2012 Woman of Achievement award. She has an Honoree Doctrine degree from Muhlenberg College, the President’s Medal from St. John University and was voted one of the 12 most Inspiring Person of the Year by beliefnet.com in 2006.
Passionate People
The Global Medical Relief Fund board is made up of passionate men and women whose experience and commitment helps us make our mission possible.
Directors
- Elissa Montanti – Founder and Director
- Donna Jungreis – Chairperson of the Board
- Stanley Martin – Treasurer
- Natalie Mines – Secretary
- Maria Curran, Esq.
- Kenan Malkic
- Francesco Rulli
Advisory Board
- Andrew Alfano
- Arthur Buonaspina, MD
- Mamise Costa
- Marcy D'Agostine
- Christina Frank
- Michael Gastaldi, DDS
- Larry Heimlich
- David Hoffman, DDS
- Daniel Kennedy
- Rita Kornfeld, R. N.
- Jacqueline Rehak
- Borivoje Vukadinovic