One can imagine how a parent would feel seeing their child defy the odds and break barriers. Such was the story published by The Fiji Times on July 5, 1984, when Jennifer Mustapha, who was four years old, could walk and run around after being cured of paralysis by a surgeon.
Mohammed Mustapha said the paralysis occurred after his daughter developed a boil on her head when she was six weeks old.
Jennifer was then taken to the Suva Crippled Children’s School where she received massages every week from when she was seven months old, however, her condition did not seem to change much.
The article reported, in February of that year, Dr David Robuck, an Australian surgeon based at theLautoka Hospital, visited Suva and operated on Jennifer along with other disabled children.
“Jennifer was completely healed, and she has suffered no complications,” Mr Mustapha said.
Mr Mustapha and his wife Hamida shared how thankful they were for the service received from the nurses at the Crippled Children’s School for their care for their daughter.
Mrs Mustapha told The Fiji Times she was overjoyed when she found out that Jennifer could use her left limbs.
The article concluded that Jennifer was the youngest of four children and would have attended kindergarten the following year.
