It was just another day for 15-year-old Chiva when a motorbike accident left her at risk of permanent disability.
She was driving to school when a stray dog came out of nowhere, slamming into her motorbike. After that, everything happened so fast.
A crowd rushed to gather around Chiva and took her to the nearest health centre. Meanwhile, one of Chiva’s classmates ran to her house to tell her mother.
“I was in the hammock with my nine-month-old baby when I got the news. I didn’t think. I grabbed my baby and rushed to the health centre.”
Thany, Chiva’s mother
Everything that followed was a blur for Thany.
“I don’t remember much at all. The health centre staff immediately told me to go to AHC. With my baby under my arm, my husband and I hopped on the health centre van and drove to AHC. I remember I was so scared. I prayed everything would be alright for my daughter. I didn’t even realise that I’d forgotten to bring anything with us.”
Thany, Chiva’s mother
When they arrived at AHC, our doctors immediately rushed Chiva to the emergency room.
“I didn’t go in because I had my baby with me. I waited outside while my husband was inside. My hands and my legs were shaking. I was so scared. A couple hours later, my husband came out and told me that AHC’s doctors could help and were going to operate.”
Thany, Chiva’s mother
But there was a problem. Chiva fractured the joint in her distal femur – a complicated fracture that our surgeons had rarely seen before. They needed specific materials to mend the fracture correctly. Materials they didn’t have.
Our surgeons spoke with their international surgical consultants and ordered the materials they needed from abroad to treat Chiva.
The surgery was risky. Our surgeons hadn’t performed this kind of surgery before, especially on a teenager. But they were ready. They had everything they needed. And after several days of intensive preparation and gathering materials, they decided to operate.
“I didn’t feel scared going into the operation. I trusted the doctors and nurses. They spoke so gently and comfortably with me — I felt like they were relatives. I knew they would take good care of me.”
Chiva
Chiva’s surgery was a success. Our surgeons mended her fracture and gave her a cast to protect it while it heals. They will keep following up with Chiva every month while she receives physiotherapy to ensure her leg’s healing correctly.
“I can’t wait to walk normally again. Then I can go back to school and see my friends again. I know AHC’s doctors will heal me 100%.”
Chiva