Madonna is a 34 year old Syrian girl, protagonist of the project Seeds of Hope :
She has suffered from cerebral palsy since birth, which has caused her developmental delay and difficulty walking. For years she underwent motor rehabilitation sessions, which she then stopped due to a sense of desperation: she had lost faith in the possibility of improving her physical condition , but at the same time she was very afraid of never being able to walk again. Furthermore, her complex and problematic family context contributed to weighing down the pressure she felt inside herself.
The joint work of the Semi di Speranza team
First of all, it was necessary to give Madonna back the will to hope for an improvement, the strength not to give up. One of the strengths of the working group of Semi di Speranza is the joint action of doctors, physiotherapists and psychologists: each of these figures has put their professionalism at the service of the girl, so as to accompany her little by little to regain pieces of ground against the progression of the disease. Magedoline and Fadi – for example – have dedicated themselves to improving
joint movements, reduce limb spasms, strengthen muscles and maintain the ability to walk with the use of crutches. The coordinator of the psychological team, Osama, guided her in overcoming negative feelings and trauma, and involved the girl’s family to accept their responsibilities and start taking care of her.
A rediscovered passion
It was a huge effort for Madonna, both physically and psychologically. However, she regained a certain autonomy, discovered self-confidence, and treasured the advice and stimuli received. One of the first successes of the long journey made together with Semi di Speranza was the decision to dedicate herself to her passion: writing and illustrating stories for children. She is now part of the editorial staff of a local magazine dedicated to children and is also a member of an association that works to raise awareness in the community about the inclusion of disabled people: it is her way of reciprocating the good received, her act of reciprocity.
