Physically challenged Palestinian girl gets life changing treatment in Dubai. Nine-year-old Salwa Hesham looks forward to a brand new life after getting a new prosthetic arm from Palestine Children’s Relief Fund. See more at: http://gulfnews.com/gntv
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00:00Born with only one arm, 9-year-old Salwa Hisham arrives in Dubai from the West Bank to get
00:17medical treatment through the help of the Palestine Children's Relief Fund, or PCRF,
00:23a non-political, non-profit organization dedicated to helping children and healing the wounds
00:28of war, occupation and poverty in the Middle East.
00:32Salwa, from Noor Sham's refugee camp in Tulkarem in the West Bank, was born with an underdeveloped
00:37left arm.
00:38The third of six children, Salwa's family cannot afford to have her arm treated.
00:43Her left arm is just above an inch past her elbow and was not fully developed when she
00:47was born.
00:48PCRF stepped in by providing her with a myoelectric-controlled prosthetic arm through the help of sponsors.
00:55Salwa's been fitted with a myoelectric prosthesis, which basically means that she has an electrode
01:01that picks up on her muscle electrical activity to generate the movement within the hand,
01:07so basic movements of opening and closing the hand.
01:10PCRF volunteers brought her to Dubai for a three-week stay so she can be fitted with
01:15a myoelectric-controlled prosthesis, which will use the existing muscles in her residual
01:20limb to control its functions.
01:23She'll be able to perform various activities with prosthetic arm and fingers.
01:27In terms of trying to use it as a normal arm or a normal hand, where she's grown up now
01:33for the last few years without having that hand there, and so she's developed all of
01:38her skills without needing to use it.
01:42And so trying to now integrate that and use that prosthesis, you know, children who have
01:48grown up with two hands.
01:50So I think just becoming accustomed to having it and understanding that she can use it as
01:55a tool to make things easier for her and more comfortable for her, from her general developmental
02:01skills to using it at home to try and get back to kind of the things that she enjoys
02:07doing, helping her mom out at home with her younger sibling, helping around the house
02:11with various chores.
02:14And I think one of the biggest things that has, you know, that she seems to be mentioning
02:20again and again is that from an aesthetic point of view, you know, having just the prosthesis
02:26there as well has made her feel a lot more confident and more comfortable.
02:30And I think from a self-image and a body image point of view, she's already become quite
02:35attached to the prosthesis, which is great to see.
02:38Salwa undergoes a two-hour occupational therapy daily to allow her left arm muscles to adjust.
02:43But she has not used them in nine years.
02:45Despite being physically challenged, Salwa's therapist says her progress exceeded expectations.
02:52She's done really well.
02:53I think with it being such an intense program over such a short space of time, it's been
02:58very tiring on her, but she's done incredible things with that arm and just her progress
03:05in terms of adjusting to using it, getting used to the weight of the arm and still trying
03:11to control the hand as well in using it in everyday activities, she's really progressed
03:17quite quickly, which is great to see.
03:19PCRF will continue to follow Salwa's progress until she turns 18.
03:23They have pledged to fit her with a new prosthetic arm once she outgrows her current arm.
03:28Salwa has nothing but gratitude in her heart.
03:31Her Dubai visit has given her new hope and a new life.
03:34Ayrish Idenbalieza for Golf News.