Angelina Shopova was born prematurely, in her sixth month of pregnancy. She weighed only 940 grams. A tiny, fragile bundle, she required incredible care from the moment she was born. And her mother, Ksenia, managed it.
At first, it seemed the worst was over. But one day, during a trip to the Shelekhovsky Rehabilitation Center, doctors delivered a diagnosis that would change Ksenia's life: cerebral palsy.
The young mother is only 23 years old—she's still almost a girl herself. But for three years now, her life has been governed by a strict schedule: rehabilitation, endless massages, regular trips to Irkutsk, because in her home village of Bokhan, there are no doctors or other specialists who can help her daughter.
"I have no parents, no one to help," says Ksenia. "I'm raising her alone."
Despite her young age, Angelina is a girl with a strong character. Like all children, she adores cartoons—she can't fall asleep without them. She loves dumplings and her cat. However, while ordinary children can already run at three years old, Angelina can't even hold her head up yet. Her arms and legs are constrained by a constant muscle tone called spasticity.
In March of this year, Ksenia gathered all her strength and resources to fly to Moscow with her daughter. At the Veltischev Research Institute, doctors thoroughly examined the girl and proposed a complex neurosurgical procedure—selective dorsal rhizotomy. This procedure removes abnormal muscle signals, making the legs soft and pliable, but it also requires lengthy rehabilitation.
If the surgery is successful, Angelina will be able to sit cross-legged and stand confidently on her heels, rather than on her toes. And most importantly, she will have the long-awaited chance to walk correctly, with heel support. This is what Ksenia dreams of most now.
But this high-tech assistance was practically unavailable to little Angelina from a remote village. And then caring people stepped in. Thanks to users of the charity app Tooba, we were able to raise the necessary funds. This brought Ksenia tremendous relief, and Angelina has now been able to undergo surgery.
And all of this was only possible thanks to those who reached out and responded to Ksenia and her daughter's story. Thank you to everyone who helped!
Verified by Tooba
Verified by Tooba
