SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb.-
Even though Danara Abshire is missing the lower part of her right leg, it isn’t slowing her down.
According to her mother, Karla, the only time the 16-month-old Scottsbluff girl isn’t running around the house is in the morning—before they have secured her artificial leg. Danara was born with fibular hemimelia, a condition in which the fibula bone in the lower leg does not grow properly and generally causes a birth defect that can be either mild or severe.
In most cases, only one leg is affected. There is no known cause for the condition.
In Danara’s case, she was missing the fibula from about her knee down as well as most of the bones in her foot.
While contemplating what to do following the birth of their child, Karla and Tim Abshire spoke with a physician at Children’s Hospital in Denver who had the same condition when he was born. Karla said the doctor told them that he had gone through 22 reconstructive surgeries before he was 18.
After hearing his story, the couple opted to amputate. The portion of Danara’s leg that was removed is from about the ankle down.
The couple said they chose amputation in order to give their daughter a childhood not filled with surgery and pain.
“We knew that this way she’d have a childhood and a better quality of life,” said Karla. Karla said they learned of the problem when they viewed an ultrasound of their daughter at 14 weeks.
Karla began looking on the Internet for help and found it when she logged onto the Shriners Web site. As a physical therapist, she said, she was familiar with the work of the Shriners and had an application completed before Danara was born.
“After that, all I needed was a sponsor,” she said.
Karla said she was told about local Shriner Mel Flick and gave him a call.
“He had us over to his house that night. He’s been Uncle Mel ever since.”
Flick assisted the family in the application process and also made transportation and other arrangements.
At 9 months, Danara went through the amputation surgery at the Shriners Hospital for Children in Salt Lake City. Five weeks later she was fitted for her first prosthetic leg.
Flick said that over the years, the local club has helped about 200 children with neuromusculoskeletal conditions, burn injuries and certain other special health care needs.
The cost of the surgery as well as the cost to get to Salt Lake City were paid through the local Shriners, which the Abshires said allowed them to start a college savings account for their daughter.
“It also meant that we could help provide her with a quality of life despite her disability,” said Karla. “We would have gladly paid for it ourselves because of the quality of care and the skill shown at the Shrine Hospital.”
Thanks to the Shriners, the future prosthetic legs would be covered at no cost until Danara is 18.
Karla said her insurance carrier would only have covered 50 percent of the costs, which would have caused a financial hardship for the family.
Danara’s dad, Tim Abshire, who is a stay-at-home dad, said that while the surgery initially slowed Danara down, it’s now a challenge to keep up with her.
“She’s real close to being able to run, and then it will be a whole new ball of wax,” said Tim.
While she’s too young to talk about her experience, Danara’s mother said she doesn’t believe her daughter knows she different.
“I don’t think she realizes she has an artificial leg, although she knows it when it’s not on because she has to crawl around.”
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Information from: Star-Herald,
