Photos show the amazing transformation of a 14-year-old girl whose severely bowed legs attracted heartless bullies that she decided to drop out of school.
Valerie’s legs arched outwardly and made it hard for her to walk. After her schoolmates bullied her, she begged her family to pull her out of school.
But after surgeons from Mercy Ships cut her bones in each leg and fixed her limbs, Valerie now plans to go back to school.
She had joined the tailoring shop of her uncle as an apprentice to stay busy and earn some cash for her family after dropping out of school. She was sewing one day when a customer said to her that a boat from Mercy Ships has docked at a port nearby.
The teen became one of the 76 children to receive surgery for free during the boat’s 10-month stay!
Mercy Ships uses hospital ships to provide free health care services to less-developed areas.
“I was very happy. I told myself I no longer want to be a seamstress. I want to go back to school,” Valerie expressed.
“I was desperate to learn how to read. A friend on-board gave me a few alphabet pages for me to trace – and the next day I told her I needed more to read.”
She added: “Not long after then, my legs were strong enough for me to go home. School will be great. People will say, “Is this the same girl? Her legs are straight”.”
Mercy Ships operates the biggest non-governmental hospital ship in the world. It already has operated in over 57 developing countries and 18 developed countries, and its current focus is on African nations.
One internet user commented: “We should be funding mercy ships, with some of our foreign aid. At least we would know good work is being done and the money isn’t going in some dictators pocket.”
Another wrote: “Great work by Mercy Ships. Well done!!!”
A third added: “Go for it girl.Have a beautiful live. That beautiful smile on her face in the photo where she stands proud and tall after her surgery is priceless.”
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Replaced!