"Rosemary is very hopeful she will be well," says our medical partner in Ghana, Ortho FOCOS (OF). "She is thankful to all who wish to help her get well, more especially OF hospital for the love, support and willingness to help her stand tall."
18-year-old Rosemary has scoliosis, or a curvature in her spine.
"She has minimal back pain but is unable to engage in strenuous activities," OF tells us. "She also cannot walk a long distance. She is the only person in her family with this deformity and as a result she is sometimes discriminated against. This makes her feel sad most of the time."
Rosemary's parents have both passed away, and she lives with her five siblings. She has one older brother, but he is unable to pay for scoliosis surgery to straighten her spine.
The FOCOS Sponsor A Patient Fund has contributed $7500 to Rosemary's surgery, but she still needs an additional $1500 to cover the remainder of the costs.
Rosemary hopes that after surgery, she will be able to continue her studies without feeling embarrassed in front of her peers.
"She dreams of becoming a nurse in the future," says OF.