In 2017, a little girl from Africa named Justine underwent an incredibly complex operation to restore her ability to walk like other children. The girl was born with a rare condition called Blount’s disease, which caused her legs to be so severely bent that her heels literally turned backward.
Justine was born in Cameroon and from childhood tried to live as actively as her peers: she went to school, played with other children, ran around the yard, and climbed trees. But over the years, the disease progressed, her torso leaned forward more and more, and even a simple walk became torture. The four-kilometer walk to school could take her several hours.
The girl could not hide her disability — her classmates often teased her, knowing that her bad legs prevented her from catching up with the bullies and fighting back.
The deformity was getting worse, and the only way to fix it was with expensive surgery, which her family couldn’t afford.
That’s when Mercy Ships volunteers took notice of Justine’s story. After examining her, the doctors knew they couldn’t wait any longer. In September 2017, the organization’s ship arrived at the port of Cameroon to help the girl.
The surgeons had to perform an osteotomy — artificially breaking the bones, rotating them 180 degrees, and reattaching them in the correct position using plaster casts. Justine faced a long rehabilitation process.
Her recovery took more than five months. The girl moved around on crutches, patiently learning to put her feet down again, keep her balance, and take steps. But she was not afraid of the difficulties — she was determined.
And then one day it happened: Justine left the clinic on her own two feet, confidently climbing the stairs by herself.
Now nothing limits her life. The girl can play sports, go to school without fear of ridicule, and simply be a happy child.
