Marie Madeleine loves school. She believes with a good education, she will be able to accomplish her dreams, and she refuses to let her condition slow her down.
When she was a young child, Marie Madeleine developed an abnormally tight muscle contracture in her leg. As she continued to grow, her knee unnaturally hyperextended backward, leaving her with a severe limp when she walked. Despite this difficulty, Marie Madeleine continued making the short journey to school, where she was determined to learn.
One day, that miracle arrived in the form of news from a neighbor in their village, who told them about a hospital ship arriving in Dakar. Soon Marie Madeleine and her grandmother made the journey to the Africa Mercy and it did not take long before she was scheduled for surgery.
On the eve of her operation, Marie Madeleine talked about her “new life,” envisioning all of the possibilities that lie ahead of her.
And after her successful surgery, she focused on those visions as she began rehabilitation.
She worked with the rehab team for several hours every week to restore mobility and to improve her leg’s strength.
It was long and hard work, but Marie Madeleine had the end in sight and, eager to get back to school, she persevered.
Several months after her arrival at the Africa Mercy, the bright 13-year-old girl with the triumphant smile and straight legs was ready to go home and back to school!
“I am so happy to see her going to school with straight legs,” says Adama. “Everything is okay now!”
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