Sumaya has been diagnosed with scoliosis, which makes physical activity difficult for her, and she has to spend most of her time sitting or lying down.
“We didn’t even suspect that she had scoliosis, despite regular check-ups. As soon as she turned one, we noticed a bump on her back and consulted doctors. We were advised to try massage, hoping that the bump would go away, but there was no improvement,” shares Madina, Sumaya’s mother.
She started to drop her shoulder and drag her foot, and the bump on her back didn’t disappear.
Sumaya with her younger sister Yasuma.
Later, the parents consulted orthopedic specialists who confirmed the diagnosis - congenital scoliosis. Following the doctors' recommendations, they hoped for improvement, but the girl’s condition worsened.
“Realizing that the treatment wasn’t helping, we turned to specialists from Turkey. They are confident that the only option is surgery, and the sooner it is performed, the better for Sumaya’s development. Recently, we also learned that she has an extra bone on her vertebra, which is visible on the X-ray, and this is also related to scoliosis,” the mother explains.
The parents do not have the financial means to pay for the surgery, so they are forced to ask for help and have started a fundraising campaign.
“If we had our own apartment, we would sell it and not seek help. But unfortunately, we do not have that opportunity,” says the mother.
Due to the curvature of her spine, Sumaya already shows body asymmetry: one shoulder is lower than the other, and one leg is shorter.
“We didn’t know that scoliosis could cause such serious consequences until we faced this problem. We underwent examinations to ensure our daughter’s normal development. But we had no idea that the curvature of the spine could compress internal organs and cause severe pain. That’s why it’s important for us to perform the surgery as soon as possible,” emphasizes Madina.
We are asking for help from everyone who can assist. Like any parents, we want our child to be healthy.
Sumaya with her younger sister Yasuma.
