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Leila Ricks, an 11-year-old from New Jersey, will forever cherish playing basketball after a recent experience.
Upon her birth, medical professionals diagnosed her with a rare condition called fibular hemimelia, which meant that she was born without a fibula.
Leila expressed to CBS News New York that she had an unwavering determination to persist and remain strong, as she always had the desire to keep pushing forward.
Doctors said the leg may have to be amputated
Leila’s mother received devastating news from doctors that one of her daughter’s legs might have to be amputated due to its shorter length compared to the other.
Keri Ricks recounted that she was informed that there was uncertainty regarding the growth of her daughter, and depending on how fast she would grow, there might be a possibility of amputation of her right leg.
According to Leila, she was unable to walk like the other children in school due to her condition.
“She said that they could run faster and walk normally, while I couldn’t,” she recalled. “My mom’s words of encouragement were always to keep going and never give up.”
“She went into every, single surgery being strong”
Leila went through a series of surgeries at Mount Sinai Hospital in 2020, and thankfully, her leg was saved by the skilled doctors.
According to her mother, she remained strong and positive throughout every surgery and emerged as an even better person than before.
Leila bears scars on her knees from the pins that were inserted by the doctors.
Dr. Sheena Ranade, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon at Mount Sinai, explained how they utilized a frame, a lengthening device, to aid in the recovery of their patient. She mentioned that the patient was unable to put weight on it for an extended period of time. During the treatment process, they discovered that the patient had no ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) or PCL (posterior cruciate ligament) in the knee. However, they were able to use one of her other muscles to create these ligaments. Dr. Ranade was amazed at how the patient recovered from this procedure.
“Never give up and always stay strong”
Leila has been thriving after her surgeries, having even taken up competitive softball and basketball. In fact, she recently smashed a game-winning home run, demonstrating her impressive skills on the field.
Leila encouraged, “Stay strong and never give up, as the future holds the promise of better things to come.”
Her future aspirations include playing volleyball and pursuing a career as a surgeon.
When Leila reaches 13, she will require another surgery to lengthen her leg. Although plastic surgery has been offered to conceal her scars, she has declined the option.
