Make Nadia’s dream come true, so she can finally regain control over her legs!

Nadia’s fight started in early childhood. Instead of having fun on the playground, she spent most of her time in hospitals, operating rooms, and doctor’s appointments. While other children were running, jumping, and laughing together, she was in the middle of strenuous and painful physical therapy.   

Pain has always been her fellow companion, and a hospital has become her second home. Nadia was born with shortened femurs. She has recently turned 12 years old and has already undergone several complex surgeries at Paley Institute in the USA and spent months in a cast.

Despite the improvement, she requires more procedures. The metal rods that were installed during the previous surgery must be removed from both her legs, and a limb-lengthening surgery on her right leg must be performed. It is shorter by 8 cm, and that discrepancy is getting more significant! 

Nadia is about to undergo another surgery at Paley European Institute, performed by a world-renowned Dr. Paley. Since the procedure will take place in Warsaw this time, the costs will be much lower, and what’s most important, Nadia won’t feel homesick like the last time she had to travel to the USA for the treatment! I will do my best to help Nadia - take care of her physical and mental well-being. 

Nadia is already a teenager, so looks are very important to her. Since she cannot bend her knee, she tries to hide it by wearing oversized pants. Short squirts are out of the question. 

She’s also concerned about her low height, too. In two years, she will attend high school where she will probably be the smallest. I can imagine how stressful it must be to enter a new, sometimes hostile environment… 

Currently, my daughter receives a lot of help and support from her friends (they carry her backpack up and down the stairs) and teachers (they facilitate her movement by reducing the number of obstacles). 

Today we know that within the next ten years, Nadia will require many expensive and painful surgeries (the first one will be necessary when she goes to high school). However, they are necessary as long as her legs are growing. When she becomes an adult, it might be too late for treatment… 

Nadia is determined, optimistic, brave, and tough, but also desperate, hopeless, anxious, scared, and ashamed… We cannot leave her alone! Although she’s been through so much, she still wants to fight for recovery. Please, let her win! Only follow-up surgeries and intense rehabilitation can change her life for the better! 

Nadia’s parents