Salina

THE RESILIENCE OF THE SPIRIT

It was 2002 and Salina was five months pregnant and had just developed paralysis of the right side of her body. Testing revealed that she was HIV positive and severely immunosuppressed. Salina struggled with her pregnancy but managed to safely deliver a beautiful baby. Two months later, she suffered a stroke that resulted in paralysis of the left side of her body. Salina could no longer use either arms or legs. Swallowing was difficult and speech impossible. And her newborn child tested HIV positive.

Caring for Salina and her baby would be a challenge in any medical center in the world. AMPATH doctors took on that challenge amid the poverty of rural Kenya. More details on the care we gave Salina at the clinic? Donations also provided Salina with in-home lifts to transfer her in and out of bed, special bathroom facilities, physical therapy equipment, and her very own wheelchair.

Salina’s is not a story of sadness; it’s a story of joy. Each month when she returns for care, her bright eyes and glowing smile lift the spirits of all around her. Her body may be paralyzed, but Salina's spirit can never be dampened. Her immune system has rebounded thanks to anti-retroviral medication, and her child is almost three years old and doing beautifully.