On her own feet now, as Dubai gives Palestinian teen a leg up

Now that she can walk proudly without dragging her shorter leg and being in constant pain, the shy youngster says she sees numerous opportunities ahead.

Born with a congenital disease of the fibular hemimelia in which the outer bone between the knees and ankle is deformed, Safa was brought to Dubai on March 11 for medical treatment sponsored by Palestinian Children’s Fund, Dubai Chapter and the charity Little Wings Foundations.

The youngest sibling of a family of four, Safa has never been outside of her refugee camp Noor Shams (sunlight) located on the outskirts of the small town of Tulkerm. Since she was seven, Safa has undergone a series of operations in West Bank. But none corrected her defect.

“Her earlier surgeries had in fact complicated her case further,” said Dr Marc Sinclair, founder of Little Wings Foundation and the orthopedic surgeon who offered his services free of cost.

Hundreds of children from all over the West Bank, Gaza, and camps in Lebanon have had surgery through the combined efforts of the PCRF and Little Wings. Typically, the PCRF identifies the children in need of treatment whereas the Little Wings Foundation undertakes the treatment related to pediatric orthopedic surgeries as identified by the PCRF, either through accidents or congenital cases.

“Safa’s leg was angulated and her gait was unstable. Even after her surgeries, her leg remained slightly shorter than the other,” he said. A leg-lengthening procedure was performed on Safa at Medcare Hospital and she still requires treatment for three months more, said Dr Sinclair.

“An external fixator has been adjusted to her leg, only then could she be able to walk like a normal teenager,” he adds.

However, since Safa no longer requires hospitalisation, the charity has made arrangements for her stay with a foster family in Dubai until she fully recovers.

Life for Safa is very different with her host Palestinian-Egyptian family as compared to her lifestyle in the refugee camp. “They have taken to Safa like their own child; their own children adore Safa’s company,” said Dr Sinclair.

The youngster is already showing promise. To overcome her shyness, Safa is taking piano lessons as well as learning to converse in English. Besides, she also indulges in reading a variety of works from Khalil Gibran to Harry Porter in Arabic. Safa also loves embroidering and spends hours over this hobby which she considers therapeutic.

During the day, the host family’s cat, Shousha, keeps Safa company whereas in the evenings, the entire family congregates to chat about the happenings of the day.

Safa says she cherishes every moment in Dubai and enjoys the cross-cultural experiences of meeting volunteers and people from diverse backgrounds. “Safa shows determination, strength and leadership qualities. She will go a long way in life as a role model to inspire our community,” say her hosts.

asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE