麻豆果冻传媒

Treatment at Lucile Packard Children鈥檚 Hospital Stanford Allows 6-Year-Old Palestinian Boy from West Bank to Walk, Go to School for the First Time

* Hadi Alkhadra will no longer have to crawl, or be carried by his parents

Press Release: June 3, 2014

PALO ALTO, Calif. 鈥

What

Media are invited Tuesday (June 3) to meet Hadi Alkhadra, a 6-year-old Palestinian boy from the in the West Bank, Palestine. Hadi was born with severe (鈥渟tuck joints鈥) and related orthopedic deformities, resulting in his feet facing the wrong way, his knees stuck straight, and a life of crawling or else being carried by his parents.

Lawrence Rinsky, MD - 麻豆果冻传媒 Children's Health

With assistance from the , Hadi and mom Shireen have traveled 7,500 miles to receive care from orthopedic surgeon Lawrence Rinsky, MD, who has led Hadi鈥檚 successful surgeries at Lucile Packard Children鈥檚 Hospital Stanford. Though there is no complete cure, with the assistance of braces and our rehab team, Hadi is now able to wear shoes for the first time, stand with his feet flat, leave his new wheelchair and start walking.

A warm, outgoing and intelligent young man, Hadi has become a big fan of the 49ers, Chuck E. Cheese, and iPads since arriving in the Bay Area last fall. Now, he looks forward to seeing his sister, two brothers and dad when he returns home in late June. Though he will wear lower-leg braces for most activities, including walking, for at least a few years, Hadi will be able to attend school for the first time while planning his dream 鈥渢o be a surgeon, just like Dr. Rinsky.鈥

Mom is beyond thankful for this life-changing experience, and she will always be filled with gratitude for the extraordinary care for her extraordinary kid. 鈥淎ll of these people we have met, they have worked so well together to help Hadi,鈥 Shireen said through an interpreter. 鈥淭his never could have happened without Dr. Rinsky and Stanford.鈥

鈥淭his is a very bright young man,鈥 said Rinsky, who loves all of Hadi鈥檚 handmade thank-you cards. 鈥淗e has a wonderful spirit and is making incredible progress. I think he has a good future ahead of him.鈥

When/Where

Tuesday, June 3, 2014
4:30 鈥 6 p.m.
Stanford Children鈥檚 Health Specialty Services
321 Middlefield Rd., Menlo Park, Calif. 94025

Who

  • Patient Hadi Alkhadra
  • Mom Shireen Alkhadra
  • Nuha Shuman of the and members of the community (will also provide interpretation of the family鈥檚 Arabic)
  • Richard Gee, physical therapy clinical specialist
  • Surgeon Lawrence Rinsky, MD, through a pre-recorded video interview handout and B-roll
  • Several community donors who have contributed to Hadi鈥檚 success, including representatives from and

Authors

Media contact:
Robert Dicks
(650) 497-8364
rdicks@stanfordchildrens.org

About 麻豆果冻传媒 Children's Health

麻豆果冻传媒 Children鈥檚 Health, with聽Lucile Packard Children鈥檚 Hospital Stanford聽at its center, is the Bay Area鈥檚 largest health care system exclusively dedicated to children and expectant mothers. Our network of care includes more than 65聽locations聽across Northern California and more than 85 locations in the U.S. Western region.聽Along with Stanford Health Care and the Stanford School of Medicine, we are part of聽, an ecosystem harnessing the potential of biomedicine through collaborative research, education, and clinical care to improve health outcomes around the world. We are a nonprofit organization committed to supporting the community through meaningful outreach programs and services and providing necessary medical care to families, regardless of their ability to pay. Discover more at聽stanfordchildrens.org.