A new leg vir Amirah
With her dark eyes and pouty mouth, she is the most beautiful bundle of energy who likes to dance to "Jesus made me beautiful".Father Juandré and mother Yolandy Strauss' youngest daughter who, despite an extremely rare condition that is diagnosed in one in every million births, brings them so much joy together with aunt Kiara.
Amirah, who celebrates her second birthday in August, was born with the rare condition, Tibia hemimelia, a partial or total absence of the tibia.
Simply put, this means that Amirah was born with a shorter tibia, also known as the shin or shin bone, than normal, which causes a difference in the length of her right leg.
According to Juandré, his youngest daughter was diagnosed with type 2A Tibia hemimelia under Paley's research for treatment strategies. The good news is that there is no need to amputate her little leg, because her tibia can be reconstructed.
"There are different types and with type 1 to 3 there is mobility in the ankle and knee and you can still do something about it."
In Amirah's case, this means her leg must be stretched by 5 cm and her foot straightened.
"Typically, an osteotomy of the legs (tibia) must be done just above the ankle joint, before a reorientation of the foot can take place from its initial clubfoot position," Juandré explains.
This is just the first of the four-phase reconstruction plan in place for Amirah over the next few years.
"Consequently, the extension is then done as soon as possible so as not to hinder the growth or development of Amirah's leg."
The reconstruction includes the repair of bones, muscles and joints affected by the hemimelia. The ultimate correction can therefore be done by lengthening her leg over time, Juandré says.
Amirah's surgery date is 5 August at the Louis Leipoldt Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa, with a highly skilled team of specialists managing her treatment.
A special fundraising campaign is underway to collect the necessary money for Amirah's medical costs and surgery which are not covered by their medical fund. The family will also have to stay in South Africa for at least two months to monitor Amirah's progress after the operation, during which she will also receive therapy on how to walk and live with the external brace during the recovery phase.
The external brace (fixator) is used to stabilise the bones and keep them aligned. It can also be adjusted externally to ensure that the legs remain in an optimal position during the recovery period.
People who would like to make a contribution to Amirah's reconstructive surgery can click this link https://www.backabuddy.co.za/campaign/help-fund-baby-amirahs-reconstructive-surgery or for more details, contact Juandré at 081 215 1840. – [email protected]