When Frantz, who is now 34 years old, was 10, he contracted polio. The illness affected both limbs, but primarily caused injury to the right leg. He was provided an orthotic device by the orthotic technician from Ecole St. Vincent, a program that was developed many years ago with the assistance of WRF and was then the only such program in Haiti.
Month: March 2015
Bethsina
A few months after Bethsina was born the 2010 earthquake struck Haiti, hitting her house and resulting in a wall falling on her. When she was able to be rescued and taken to the hospital, it was found that it was necessary to amputate her right leg above the knee. Following the amputation and several months of physical therapy she was referred to a prosthetics program and fitted with an artificial limb. Continue Reading
Iman
Iman, the 21 year-old bilateral below knee amputee, is a Syrian refugee from Hamah whose family settled five months ago in Bab el Tebbaneh in Tripoli-North Lebanon. Born with a congenital disease (Spina bifida), Iman started her journey of treatment and suffering at very young age. After a devastating infection in her legs four years ago, Iman had to undergo a bilateral amputation below the knee. Continue Reading
St. Jean
In December of 2012, St. Jean, then a one-year old, was playing at home when he had a bad fall. The following morning, his mother found him to be suffering great pain, so she took him to a local medical clinic. There, a doctor examined him and he was x-rayed. She was told that there was no fracture and was given medication to ease the pain. Continue Reading