14-year-old Valerie was able to return to school after receiving free surgery to fix her bowed legs. She had developed the condition early on in life, and she has learned to live with it. However, things have been becoming more difficult as she grew older; school, work, and home life have been more challenging to deal with because of her legs.

At the age of four, Valerie developed bowed legs. Because of it, her self-confidence and quality of life plummeted, especially after her parents decided to pull her out of school. When the young girl was a bit older, she was allowed to apprentice at her uncle’s tailoring shop. She became a talented seamstress under the guidance of her uncle. Her legs, however, were making it more and more difficult for her to walk.

One day, a customer at the shop told her about a hospital boat in operation at a nearby dock in Cotonou, Benin. The charity, Mercy Ships, was providing free medical services to people in the area. With that, Valerie went to board the ship, “Africa Mercy.” She and 76 other children and teenagers received free surgery for their conditions.

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The doctors aboard the enormous non-profit hospital worked on Valerie’s legs as soon as they could. They removed the wedge of bone on the outer portion of her knees that were the cause of her bowed legs. The surgery was successful, and Valerie was put in post-surgery rehab. She stayed there for around four months, and in that time, she learned how to read. A friend she made on the ship gave her a few alphabet pages for her to trace while she was recovering, and Valerie immediately wanted more to read.

Well-equipped with new legs and new knowledge, Valerie was excited to go back to school after her rehab. She no longer wants to spend all her time being a seamstress, and she wants to be a regular kid going to school every day. The young girl is also looking forward to hearing the responses of people at her school. She’s the same girl, but her legs are now straight!