Latest News For Prayer
Friday 21 April
Prostheses offer new opportunities for 14-year-old Scovia
To mark World Malaria Day on 25 April, we wanted to share Scovia’s story with you. Scovia, a double amputee, sadly lost her limbs due to a rare complication caused by contracting malaria.
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Scovia was born in 2008, the youngest of three children, in Arua, northern Uganda.
She was only 15 months old when she developed a fever, which was confirmed by doctors as malaria. They gave Scovia some medicine, but her condition didn’t improve.
Over time, her situation worsened, and her mother Jane was afraid she would die.
Doctors confirmed that the infection was spreading, and they needed to amputate both of Scovia’s legs to save her life.
Scovia was four years old when her first amputation occurred. Several months later, her second leg was removed at a different hospital.
Life was particularly difficult for single mother Jane, who now lived with a young child who had a life-changing disability, as well as trying to provide the basics for her whole family.
In January 2023, they met Rev Pooshani Kanapathipillai, who heard Scovia’s story and wanted to help.
The minister contacted doctors in Jinja who were able to provide Scovia with artificial limbs made especially for her.
But it would take at least a day to reach Jinja, driving over long and bumpy roads.
Fortunately, Rev Pooshani has been flying with MAF for more than ten years, so she knew exactly who would be able to help.
So, later that month, they boarded an MAF aircraft to go to St James’ Orthopaedic and Surgical Centre to collect Scovia’s prosthetic limbs.
Jane says: ‘Scovia is an active girl who loves playing football with her friends. Artificial limbs are a miracle for her – we never dreamed of the possibility that she would walk. I am so thankful to all the people who have helped us, plus my whole family who have given me support.
‘I am so happy now because MAF has helped me walk with my child. She is very happy too, and she can’t wait to get back to school – she loves to learn. Her new legs will change our lives forever.’
Scovia added, ‘I can’t express how happy I am to be able to walk.’
On 14 April, MAF collected Scovia and Jane to fly them back home.
If you’d like to find out more about how MAF is helping in the fight against malaria, please visit our webpage <http://link.maf-uk.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> .
Please pray
* For Scovia’s ongoing recovery. May she soon adjust to life with her artificial limbs.
* That the prosthetic limbs will give Scovia freedom to achieve all that she wants to achieve in her life.
* For the research being conducted on malaria, so that people won’t have to suffer because of this disease.