Palestinian boy with severe feet deformities gets help from Lucile Packard

Byby Cornell Barnard KGO logo
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Hadi Alkhadra
KGO-KGO

MENLO PARK, Calif. (KGO) -- A 6-year-old boy is walking an incredible path, literally.

The Palestinian boy born with severe feet deformities is getting a new life, thanks to doctors at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital. The care Hadi Alkhadra has received has helped him walk for the very first time.

Hadi came to Stanford late last year from a refugee camp in the West Bank of Palestine. He suffered from arthrogryposis, a debilitating birth defect which left his knees basically stuck straight and his feet facing the wrong way.

With the help of the Palestine Children's Fund, he came to the Bay Area. Several surgeries later, Hadi is feeling great now and taking his first steps.

Muha Shuman, from the Palestine Children's Fund, said, "I've been carrying him around or he's been crawling around. So it's the first time he's wearing shoes. It's a huge deal. So he wanted Spiderman shoes."

Hadi and his mom said thanks to the hospital. The boy then took a few steps across the floor with the help of his physical therapist.

Hadi and his mother will return to the Middle East very soon. They're very thankful for all the care and support they've received in the Bay Area.

The boy will go to school for the first time when he gets back home and he says he can't wait to walk there.