Garisha stands a chance of walking with the help of life-changing surgery

Born in Vanuatu with bilateral talipes, commonly known as club feet, Garisha spent her early years attempting to move with extreme difficulty. Talipes is a birth defect which sees the feet twisted and bent out of shape. To further complicate matters, Garisha lost her left foot in an attempt to correct her condition when Garisha was just four-years-old.

What started out as hope for a new life for Garisha, quickly turned into a nightmare when a visiting doctor to Port Vila agreed to operate on her feet. While talipes is correctable with early intervention for those born in Australia and although the surgery initially went well, the inadequate resources in place to provide follow-up care in Vanuatu, resulted in Garisha becoming so unwell that and in order to save her life, there was no option but to amputate her foot.

With her right foot already severely dysfunctional, Garisha’s quality of life has suffered considerably since her left foot was removed — taking her ability to stand away with it.

Fortunately for Garisha, Dr Samuel Kemuel, General Surgeon at Port Vila Hospital in Vanuatu alerted Children First Foundation to her story, “When I saw Garisha, I knew she needed help immediately. That’s why I reached out to Children First Foundation for help,” says Dr Kemuel. “There are many other children we see here at Port Vila Hospital who need help too, but we simply don’t have the resources.”

Children First Foundation, together with St John of God Berwick Hospital and orthopaedic surgeon Professor Ton Tran, brought Garisha to Australia earlier this year in an effort to repair Garisha’s remaining foot and help her walk — a life-changing opportunity which will allow her to lead an independent life in the future.

Following the surgery which was undertaken in late January, Professor Tran explains, “Not only did Garisha undergo surgical correction of her right foot, but a revision of her amputation stump was also conducted so a better fitting lower limb prosthesis could be created,” offers Dr Tran. “Garisha was expected to be in a wheelchair for around three weeks following surgery to give her time to heal and enable the fitting of the orthotics and prosthesis. She will then learn to walk with the help of the Children First rehabilitation team,” he adds.

Despite the anxiety that naturally occurs with ensuing surgery, Garisha expressed her excitement over the journey ahead and the ability for her to fulfil her dream of one day being able to wear shoes.

“I am excited I will be able to stand up, and not always be sitting down on the ground,” Garisha says. “I can’t wait to get my first pair of shoes so I can be just like my sisters and my friends at school. Pink is my favourite colour, and I wish for some pink sandals.”