Ten operations for the first steps

Twelve year old Melaniia from Kryvyi Rih dreams of walking and playing like all children. She imagines going to the 5th grade in a beautiful dress and with elegant bows. But the path to her dream is very long and difficult - the girl has already undergone 7 difficult orthopedic surgeries.

Melaniia was born at 28 weeks of pregnancy and weighed only 970 g. She spent the first month of her life in intensive care under a ventilator, the second - in the neonatal pathology department.

In a year, Melaniia was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, spastic tetraparesis. Since then, she has had constant rehabilitation courses, massage, a swimming pool and surgeries, one after another.

During the surgeries, the girl's hip joints were shaped, metal structures were removed, contractures of the knee joints were corrected, and a dislocation of the left hip joint was corrected. The last surgery was in April. Recently, Melaniia's stitches were removed, she can stand in orthoses in a verticalizer for a short time and sit down.

But the struggle for the opportunity to walk continues. Melaniia still finds it painful to stand - the bones of her feet are deformed.

To restore the natural state of her foot, doctors will perform the eighth operation in August: the foot will be disassembled literally by the bones, bone growths will be removed, and metal structures will be installed. After 2 months, a similar operation will be performed on the other leg. And then the tenth operation: removal of old structures from the knees and left thigh. 

All the surgeries will be performed at the Dnipro Medical and Surgical Center named after Pyhorov. Melaniia will wear a cast for several months, then she will undergo a long rehabilitation.

Mother, grandmother and grandfather fight for the child's health. We have known the family for over nine years and have supported Melaniia more than once.

Now she needs our help again. It is necessary to collect UAH 161,900 to pay for three operations, anesthesia, examinations, hospitalization, sets of metal structures and tools for removing implants. Let's help Melaniia get back on her feet together!