Six years ago, I met Hannah, a 12-year-old girl from Alexandria, before one of the most difficult and high-risk operations I had ever faced.
Hannah had a severe spinal deformity: a lumbar curve measuring approximately 150 degrees, a thoracic curve of around 130 degrees, and kyphosis exceeding 120 degrees. Her deformity was associated with a neuromuscular condition, and her respiratory function was a major concern.
When I first saw her, I knew how challenging the case would be. There was still a small measure of hope, so I said we would reconsider surgery if her respiratory function improved. It did, and we began preparing for the operation. Yet as the day approached, I felt the weight of the decision and the responsibility more deeply.
On the morning of surgery, Hannah came up to me and said confidently: “I’m ready for the challenge. How are you?”
I didn’t know what to say. We took a photo together, and her smile was stronger than all my worries.
Her father signed the consent form acknowledging the serious risks of the case. Then he told me calmly: “I leave it in God’s hands, and I trust that He will take care of us.”
Before Hannah went into the operating room, she was crying and didn’t want to leave her father. I asked her to promise me she would come through the day safely. She calmed down and promised. Then we made a pinky promise—a small gesture that has stayed with me ever since.
The operation carried an enormous emotional weight. There were moments when I felt the urge to stop, overwhelmed by the risk and responsibility. But, thankfully, the operation went well—better than I had dared to hope. Hannah left the operating room for a regular hospital room without needing intensive care.
Her family’s joy that day was beyond words. Many people at the hospital were moved by what they saw, including people who had never met Hannah.
Six years later, this memory came back to me, and every detail of that day felt close again. It was not an ordinary day in my life. It was a day shaped by fear, hope, and the courage of a young girl who faced an enormous challenge with a smile. Watch Video Hana https://youtu.be/08Y9S7pXMdA?si=1Esjgy91m4zEzqMj