Whitney is a 13 year old girl, who suffered from a severe stroke when she was nine years old, leaving her paraplegic and blind. All began one day with a feeling immensely tiredness after school. She decided to take a nap. When her mother went to wake her for lunch, her arms and legs felt extremely heavy and she wasn’t able to move. They drove to the hospital for a check up, but Whitney ended up staying there for three months. A week after being discharged from hospital Whitney’s eyesight started to falter rapidly. The doctors diagnosed a blood clot in her brain, that was causing the eyesight problems. Due to the lack of financial means, she was not able to obtain the necessary medication. Her condition deteriorated from day to day. She now suffers from heart problems, isn’t able to sit up and stand by herself and her eyesight has completely diminished.
Whitney’s father disappeared shortly after finding out about her mothers’ pregnancy. She has no siblings and her mother raised her single handedly. However two of her cousins and her grandmother are currently living with them. Her mother and grandmother run a little store, situated just outside their hom. There they sell fish, fruits and vegetables. To heighten their income the family of six moved all their belongings into one room in order to rent out the spare room.
Make Me Smile has been able to provide and support Whitney with various hospital visits, medicine, physiotherapy, a wheelchair and the expanding of the family business. Since February 2015 Whitney is going to St. Oda – School For The Blind. To be accepted at this school, Whitney needs a caretaker by her own. A nurse comes every week to check on Whitney’s health. Finally Whitney can live her dream and go to school again.
Help us to enable Whitney to continue with school and fullfill her dream!