{"id":214368,"date":"2018-03-17T19:52:30","date_gmt":"2018-03-17T19:52:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/photos-show-transformation-of-schoolgirl-whose-legs-were-twisted\/"},"modified":"2018-03-17T19:52:30","modified_gmt":"2018-03-17T19:52:30","slug":"photos-show-transformation-of-schoolgirl-whose-legs-were-twisted","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/photos-show-transformation-of-schoolgirl-whose-legs-were-twisted\/","title":{"rendered":"Photos show transformation of schoolgirl whose legs were twisted"},"content":{"rendered":"<ul class=\"mol-bullets-with-font\">\n<li class=\"class\"><strong>Known only as Justine, the Cameroonian girl suffered from a growth disorder<\/strong><\/li>\n<li class=\"class\"><strong>Her Blount&#8217;s disease caused her legs to angle inward &#8211; and got worse over time<\/strong><\/li>\n<li class=\"class\"><strong>Surgeons from the charity Mercy Ships untwisted her limbs and cut her bones<\/strong><\/li>\n<li class=\"class\"><strong>The smiling schoolgirl, from Yaounde, said: &#8216;There&#8217;s nothing I can&#8217;t do now&#8217;<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"author-section byline-plain\">By<\/p>\n<p>Stephen Matthews For Mailonline<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"follow-author\"><\/span><\/a>\n<\/p>\n<p class=\"byline-section\"><span class=\"article-timestamp article-timestamp-published\"><br \/>\n  <span class=\"article-timestamp-label\">Published:<\/span><br \/>\n  06:39 EDT, 15 March 2018<br \/>\n<\/span><br \/>\n | <span class=\"article-timestamp article-timestamp-updated\"><br \/>\n  <span class=\"article-timestamp-label\">Updated:<\/span><br \/>\n  10:09 EDT, 15 March 2018<br \/>\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"share-facebook\"><\/li>\n<li class=\"share-twitter\"><\/li>\n<li class=\"share-pinterest\"><\/li>\n<li class=\"share-gplus\">\n      <span class=\"g-interactivepost\"><br \/>\n        <a><\/a><br \/>\n      <\/span>\n        <\/li>\n<li class=\"share-email\">\n<p>                <span class=\"wai\">e-mail<\/span><br \/>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/li>\n<li class=\"share-icons\" id=\"shareLinkTop\">\n            <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>     <span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"count-number\">           1<\/p>\n<p class=\"count-text\">View <br \/> comments<\/p>\n<p>    <\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Incredible photos show the transformation of a schoolgirl whose bowed legs were twisted &#8211; completely backwards.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Known only as Justine, the 11-year-old suffered from a growth disorder that left her feet facing 180 degrees in the wrong direction.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Her condition did not stop her skipping, playing football and climbing trees &#8211; but meant her 2.4-mile (4km) walk home from school took her hours.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Surgeons from the charity Mercy Ships cut the bones in each leg, untwisted her limbs and set them back in place with plaster casts.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Five months on, she proudly walked down the gangway of a hospital boat all by herself &#8211; and can now go to school and play the same as all her classmates.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">The smiling schoolgirl, from Yaounde in Cameroon, said: &#8216;There&#8217;s nothing I can&#8217;t do now.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p>    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"i-83b6f18b085f3c9b\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" height=\"950\" width=\"634\" alt=\"Known only as Justine, the 11-year-old suffered from a growth disorder that left her feet facing 180 degrees in the wrong direction\" class=\"blkBorder img-share\" \/><\/p>\n<p>    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"i-83b6f18b085f3c9b\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/newpix\/2018\/03\/15\/10\/4A3605C900000578-0-image-a-62_1521109161550.jpg\" height=\"950\" width=\"634\" alt=\"Known only as Justine, the 11-year-old suffered from a growth disorder that left her feet facing 180 degrees in the wrong direction\" class=\"blkBorder img-share\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"imageCaption\">Known only as Justine, the 11-year-old suffered from a growth disorder that left her feet facing 180 degrees in the wrong direction<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Justine was born with Blounts disease &#8211; a growth disorder of the shin bone which causes the lower leg to angle inward.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">It is understood her severe case got worse as she grew older, until her feet were facing completely the wrong way.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">She was carried up the gangway of Mercy Ships by nurses in September last year, hoping to get treatment.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"rotator-panels link-bogr1 linkro-ccox\">\n<li>\n<p>  <span>Former model, 27, has been unable to urinate for more than 2&#8230;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<p>  <span>Hacker alert for hospitals as report warns vital devices&#8230;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<p>  <span>Women with heavy periods &#8216;should have scans&#8217; to check they&#8230;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<p>  <span>Women who are physically fit in middle age are 90% less&#8230;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">The charity uses hospital ships to deliver free, world-class health care services to less-developed parts of the world, and this trip was Canadian-funded.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">A spokesperson for the charity said: &#8216;Justine was the first patient up the gangway at the start of Mercy Ships field service in Cameroon.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">&#8216;Her favorite hobbies are running, playing jump rope, playing football, hide and seek, climbing trees &#8211; all very physical, hands-on activities &#8211; she didn&#8217;t let her severe limitations hold her back from them.<\/p>\n<p>    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"i-e65285ad143debe1\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" height=\"423\" width=\"634\" alt=\"Surgeons from the charity Mercy Ships cut the bones in each leg, untwisted her limbs and set them back in place with plaster casts\" class=\"blkBorder img-share\" \/><\/p>\n<p>    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"i-e65285ad143debe1\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/newpix\/2018\/03\/15\/10\/4A36069200000578-0-image-a-64_1521109177062.jpg\" height=\"423\" width=\"634\" alt=\"Surgeons from the charity Mercy Ships cut the bones in each leg, untwisted her limbs and set them back in place with plaster casts\" class=\"blkBorder img-share\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"imageCaption\">Surgeons from the charity Mercy Ships cut the bones in each leg, untwisted her limbs and set them back in place with plaster casts<\/p>\n<p>    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"i-d23cc2f559ee87da\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" height=\"423\" width=\"634\" alt=\"Her condition did not stop her skipping, playing football and climbing trees - but meant her 2.4-mile (4km) walk home from school took her hours (pictured in hospital after surgery)\" class=\"blkBorder img-share\" \/><\/p>\n<p>    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"i-d23cc2f559ee87da\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/newpix\/2018\/03\/15\/10\/4A3605E100000578-0-image-a-65_1521109178941.jpg\" height=\"423\" width=\"634\" alt=\"Her condition did not stop her skipping, playing football and climbing trees - but meant her 2.4-mile (4km) walk home from school took her hours (pictured in hospital after surgery)\" class=\"blkBorder img-share\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"imageCaption\">Her condition did not stop her skipping, playing football and climbing trees &#8211; but meant her 2.4-mile (4km) walk home from school took her hours (pictured in hospital after surgery)<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"mol-factbox-title\">WHAT IS BLOUNT&#8217;S DISEASE?\u00a0<\/h3>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Blount&#8217;s disease is a growth disorder of the shin bone that causes the lower leg to angle inward.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">It occurs in children and the cause is unknown but it is thought to be due to the effect of weight on growing bone which prevents the inner part of the tibia from developing normally.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">The condition is progressive and is most common among children of African ancestry, according to figures.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">&#8216;But Justine had to have special transport arranged for her to be able to go to school, and on the days it fell through, she had to walk 4km to school and back by herself which took a very long time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">&#8216;Kids were often mean to her; would tease her and run because they knew she couldn&#8217;t chase them.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Justine was on the ship for surgery, and pre-op and post-op care, and also stayed at the off-ship Hospital Out Patient Extension Centre.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Orthopedic surgeon Dr Frank Hayon said: &#8216;Justine had an extreme case of Blounts disease with angular and rotational deformities of both legs rotating her feet 180 or essential backwards.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">&#8216;To correct the deformity required us to do osteotomies or cut the bones in each leg and untwist her legs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">&#8216;She was held in long leg walking cast until the bones were healed. Once out of cast she worked with the rehab team prior to discharge.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Mercy Ships was founded in 1978 and has worked in more than 70 countries.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"i-1a2854e66e947c93\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" height=\"423\" width=\"634\" alt=\"The smiling schoolgirl, from Yaounde in Cameroon, said: 'There's nothing I can't do now' (pictured before surgery to cure her bowed legs)\" class=\"blkBorder img-share\" \/><\/p>\n<p>    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"i-1a2854e66e947c93\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/newpix\/2018\/03\/15\/10\/4A3605C100000578-0-image-a-68_1521109187594.jpg\" height=\"423\" width=\"634\" alt=\"The smiling schoolgirl, from Yaounde in Cameroon, said: 'There's nothing I can't do now' (pictured before surgery to cure her bowed legs)\" class=\"blkBorder img-share\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"imageCaption\">The smiling schoolgirl, from Yaounde in Cameroon, said: &#8216;There&#8217;s nothing I can&#8217;t do now&#8217; (pictured before surgery to cure her bowed legs)<\/p>\n<p>    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"i-2f51d57cbe9b2d61\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" height=\"423\" width=\"634\" alt=\"Justine was born with Blounts disease - a growth disorder of the shin bone which causes the lower leg to angle inward\" class=\"blkBorder img-share\" \/><\/p>\n<p>    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"i-2f51d57cbe9b2d61\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/newpix\/2018\/03\/15\/10\/4A3605FF00000578-0-image-a-67_1521109185424.jpg\" height=\"423\" width=\"634\" alt=\"Justine was born with Blounts disease - a growth disorder of the shin bone which causes the lower leg to angle inward\" class=\"blkBorder img-share\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"imageCaption\">Justine was born with Blounts disease &#8211; a growth disorder of the shin bone which causes the lower leg to angle inward<\/p>\n<p>    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"i-cda1ebcdf43a9627\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" height=\"423\" width=\"634\" alt=\"It is understood her severe case got worse as she grew older, until her feet were facing completely the wrong way\" class=\"blkBorder img-share\" \/><\/p>\n<p>    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"i-cda1ebcdf43a9627\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/newpix\/2018\/03\/15\/10\/4A36067E00000578-0-image-a-66_1521109182832.jpg\" height=\"423\" width=\"634\" alt=\"It is understood her severe case got worse as she grew older, until her feet were facing completely the wrong way\" class=\"blkBorder img-share\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"imageCaption\">It is understood her severe case got worse as she grew older, until her feet were facing completely the wrong way<\/p>\n<p>            <!-- ad: http:\/\/mads.dailymail.co.uk\/v3\/us\/health\/none\/article\/other\/inread_player.html --><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"social-links-title\">Share or comment on this article<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"bigLinks sc-icns cleared\">\n<li class=\"share-facebook\">\n<p>                                    <span class=\"wai\">e-mail<\/span><br \/>\n                                <\/a>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"share-icons\" id=\"shareLinkBottom\">\n<p>                                <\/a>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"social-stats social-stats-pipe\" id=\"shareCountBottom\">\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"addCommentButton\" class=\"add-comment\">\n<p>                                <\/a>\n                            <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul class=\"rotator-panels\">\n<li class=\"new shallow-ac mini link-bogr6 linkro-wocc\">  <span class=\"wocc bdrcc\"> Snapping turtle is EUTHANIZED after popular science&#8230; <\/span> <\/a> <\/li>\n<li class=\"new shallow-ac mini link-bogr6 linkro-wocc\">  <span class=\"wocc bdrcc\"> Horrific jailhouse video shows deputies laughing as&#8230; <\/span> <\/a> <\/li>\n<li class=\"new shallow-ac mini link-bogr6 linkro-wocc\">  <span class=\"wocc bdrcc\"> Could three porn stars and a Playboy model bring down&#8230; <\/span> <\/a> <\/li>\n<li class=\"new shallow-ac mini link-bogr6 linkro-wocc\">  <span class=\"wocc bdrcc\"> Too hot to trot! 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Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Known only as Justine, the Cameroonian girl suffered from a growth disorder Her Blount&#8217;s disease caused her legs to angle inward &#8211; and got worse over time Surgeons from the charity Mercy Ships untwisted her limbs and cut her bones The smiling schoolgirl, from Yaounde, said: &#8216;There&#8217;s nothing I can&#8217;t do now&#8217; By Stephen Matthews <a class=\"read-more-link\" href=\"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/photos-show-transformation-of-schoolgirl-whose-legs-were-twisted\/\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-214368","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/214368","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=214368"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/214368\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=214368"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=214368"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=214368"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}