Orthopaedic Surgery
Kenia
Kenia thought she was going for a routine checkup with Dr. Michael Vitale who has been treating her rare spinal deformity. She was paralyzed and completely unable to walk when she first met Dr. Vitale. In a delicate 30-hour operation, Dr. Vitale and colleagues removed the bone that was pressing on her spinal cord and making her lose her ability walk. "Her spinal cord was completely crushed," the surgeon recalled. Today, thanks to metal rods inserted in her back, she's leading a normal life."
But this office visit was different, and Dr. Vitale was in on the secret.
Nine-year-old Kenia was surprised when her dream came true. Kenia and her family, all from Jamaica, Queens, received a four-night trip to Disneyland in California, arranged by the nonprofit organization When U Dream a Dream.
"She's running around, playing and dancing," Dr. Vitale said. "And now she's going to dance with Mickey."
