By Emily Shindeldecker | Medical Advisor
Sheya was just like any other child, running and playing with her classmates at school until she began noticing her body was starting to weaken. Sheya went from being completely mobile and walking to school to wheelchair-bound by age 9. Her parents took her to specialists who all recommended surgery in order for her to walk again. Sheya’s father had to make the decision to choose between paying for his daughter’s surgery or using the money for food for the rest of the family. Consequently, Sheya did not get the operation she needed at that time.
As time passed, Sheya had to stop attending school due to her mobility obstacles and became emotionally depressed. She lost her hope in life because of being unable to get married, walk or hang out with friends outside her home. She and her family were forced to flee ISIS in 2014 and have been living in a camp for displaced peoples since then. Our Community-Based Rehabilitation project has been visiting Sheya and her brother, who also has a disability, for the past several years. We have seen her blossom and share deep feelings from her past and how she is feeling presently just from the trust we've gained through our visits. She has also begun laughing again since we initially began our physical therapy visits.
In January 2019, a team of surgeons from the U.S. volunteered their services and performed orthopedic surgeries on 12 of our clients including Sheya and her brother. As of early June, Sheya started walking again for the first time in over 13 years! She needs help with stability and confidence but now has the hope and drive to continue until she can walk independently without a walker or an arm on which to lean. She talks about being excited about her life now and is viewing her future with great expectation.
By Scott Harris | Communications Manager
By Scott Harris | Communications Manager
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