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From Challenge to Empowerment: The Story of a girl and Her Journey from Disability to Possibility

A small family in Nurdağı, Türkiye eagerly anticipated the arrival of their first child, filled with hope and excitement. The mother had been looking forward to seeing her baby's face since she found out she was pregnant. The pregnancy progressed normally, and the childbirth was a moment of joy, marking the start of a challenging journey.

During the first year of the baby girl's life passed like any other child, and she did not show any signs of disability, and she appeared to be a healthy and typical child. However, as she continued to grow and develop, her mother noticed some peculiarities. 

Here, the mother felt fear and anxiety for her daughter, as this moment was only the beginning of a long journey of searching for answers and solutions. The search for answers led the mother from hospital to another, each visit deepened her doubts and anxiety.

An MRI revealed that cerebral palsy had affected the child's ability to walk due to a lack of oxygen during birth. The parents' journey to help their daughter began. Despite financial constraints and exhausting hospital visits, they never gave up. The girl is now four, who continues to face daily challenges due to her disability. Her parents strive to help her, but progress is slow. Her mother enrolled her in a specialized therapeutic school to improve her abilities but doctors said surgery was necessary for her to walk.

Later, during the field visits by the Sened team, to determine the needs of the families affected by the earthquake, the team met the girl's family to better understand her situation. The Sened team swiftly assessed the family's needs while her mother, shared her challenges as she watched her daughter, who faced both rapid growth and a disability that burdened her. The mother described her daughter's longing to play with other children, despite facing exclusion and peer bullying due to her disability. The team registered the family with "Sosyal Market" for food assistance, provided diapers for the child's needs, and offered specialized toys to improve her movement skills.

Additionally, the team provided hygiene and food kits and, most importantly, initiated a treatment plan for the child's condition with parental involvement. An appointment with a neurologist at Gaziantep Hospital was scheduled, with the case worker accompanying the family. Papers for acceptance by the municipality were submitted, securing the necessary operation.

The girl’s mother, filled with joy, expressed her gratitude for the support, saying, "I couldn't believe it when I heard that the municipality accepted my daughter's case. Tears of joy filled my eyes, and hope rekindled in my heart. I am deeply thankful for the care and efforts of others. We are not alone in this journey, and I eagerly await the day my daughter can stand and play with her peers."

Quotes from Mother: 

“I see my daughter sitting at the entrance of the house, watching other children having fun with each other, and she calls them to join them in playing, but they bully her, mock her and tell her that she is not able to participate because of her disability. This causes me great pain, as a result of what my daughter suffers from, in addition to the bad treatment she receives from the other children, her disability prevents her from sitting properly or standing. I have to carry her everywhere with me, I cannot leave her on the sofa or bed because her feet do not allow her to safely sit on furniture.”

“We went again to a hospital in Mersin to inquire about her health condition, the doctor said that the muscles of her legs were tense due to the effects on her brain. She urgently needs corrective surgery on her feet to walk properly, but the surgery cost per foot is 40,000 Turkish liras, which exceeds our financial capabilities.”

"I honestly did not believe when I received the news that my daughter's papers and her condition were accepted by the municipality. Tears of joy filled my eyes, pulses of hope re-emerged in my heart, which had long waited for this day. I cannot believe that there are other people interested in my daughter's treatment, I feel great because we are not alone in this difficult journey, I am so grateful for their care and efforts, and I can't wait until the day of the operation, to see my daughter standing and playing with the other children."