Disabled student takes first steps in 10 years - on stage at her graduation from vumc student health Watch Video

⏲ Duration: 0:21
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✓ Published: 22-Apr-2024

Description:
A chronically ill student took her first steps in 10 years - to accept her awards for excellence at graduation. <br/><br/>Melika Ghanaati, now 19, hasn't been able to walk unaided since 2013 due to four debilitating medical conditions. <br/><br/>She was born with a severe form of scoliosis - a curved spine - as well as congenital myopathy, a disorder which has caused weakness in her muscles. <br/><br/>Growing up, she either used a walker or a wheelchair - and has needed various surgeries to correct her curved spine. <br/><br/>But after a year of intensive physiotherapy, Melika was able to walk up to her teacher unaided and receive her high school diploma, as well as two awards for excellence. <br/><br/>Melika, who is now a student at York University, Canada, said: “This was such a special moment for me - my teachers and closest friends were worried about me, but I proved everyone wrong. <br/><br/>“I wanted to surprise everyone with the walk, but most importantly, I believed I owed it to myself.”<br/><br/>Melika was born with a number of conditions - including scoliosis, severe club feet, congenital myopathy and recurring kidney stones. <br/><br/>But her scoliosis and club feet were the biggest hurdles preventing her from being able to walk. <br/><br/>Up until the age of 13, Melika had a number of surgeries in an attempt to get the curve and club feet corrected. <br/><br/>She even briefly died in ICU after surgery at the age of 12. <br/><br/>She said: “Between the ages of 10 to 13 I had three spinal surgeries.<br/><br/>“I even had a code blue - I died for a few seconds. <br/><br/>“I lost a lot of blood flow and needed to have a blood transfusion.\