Disabled girl recovering from surgery

SHANICE WATSON

Naja Lewis, the brilliant little girl born with club feet, had a successful surgery on Saturday, and is recuperating nicely, her mother, Kerry-Ann Davis, said.

Naja, who is a grade four student at the Holy Family Primary in downtown Kingston, had the iron braces removed from her left leg and is waiting for the wounds to heal before the next surgery.

"Next, the doctors are going to put an iron inside her ankle bone to keep it straight, and that will help her to walk normal," Davis said.

After that surgery, Naja will be fitted with an ankle-foot orthosis (AFO), which is a brace, usually made of plastic, that is worn on the lower leg and foot to keep it in the correct position. Naja already wears an AFO on her right leg.

Eight-year-old Naja was featured in THE WEEKEND STAR last month as a disabled child who is excelling

academically.

Her mother beamed with pride as she highlighted Naja's academic success.

"She get pure 100. Her reading level is like grade 5 to 6. In maths, she get 100, spelling 100, and she get two awards; one for the most outstanding performance in academics and she get a next award for spelling and she get other different certificates," Davis said.

After the story was published, dancehall artiste Tifa, who was born with a similar affliction, and corporate entity Digicel offered assistance. They committed to financing Naja's surgery and also equipped her with various school supplies.

Digicel also promised to pay Naja's school fee for the next two years. She will also receive a $10,000 book voucher from Sangster's Book Stores.