At just 16 years old, Helena's life changed in seconds in 2024. A brutal accident, a crushed leg, an unbearable medical decision, then months of suffering, silence and uncertainty. Today, this young girl from Antsiranana dares to believe again that one day she will walk.
The wound worsened and Helena and her mother decided to return to Next Polyclinic. On May 15th, Helena underwent a second surgical intervention at Next Polyclinic. The operation was successful. After four days of hospitalization, she returned home. A new phase begins: healing, rehabilitation and waiting.
According to medical explanations, Helena will need to follow a process of approximately one year before receiving an adapted prosthetic. This journey promises to be long, demanding and sometimes difficult. However, this stage brings hope—the hope of gradually regaining her independence and, one day, standing on both legs again.
History
August 9, 2024 will forever remain etched in Helena's and her family's memory. That day, near her home, the young girl was violently struck by a 4x4 vehicle. Her body was thrown into pain. Her left leg, severely damaged, immediately bore the marks of an extremely violent impact.
Rushed to Next Polyclinic in Antsiranana, Helena was treated by doctors. The diagnosis was grave: multiple severe fractures to her left leg. Facing the state of her limb, the medical team recommended amputation. A terrible decision, but necessary according to doctors, to save her life and prevent serious complications.
But how could parents accept, in just hours, that their 16-year-old daughter lose part of her body? For her parents, this decision was unbearable. With Helena still a minor, their authorization was essential. Devastated, helpless and still hoping for a miracle, they refused the intervention.
According to available information, the drivers of the vehicle involved in the accident, who explained the impact as brake failure, themselves transported the victim to the hospital. But after the family decided to pursue traditional treatment, they gradually withdrew, leaving care responsibility to the victim's relatives.
The family turned to traditional medicine. For more than ten days, Helena received treatment from a traditional healer, known in the local dialect as an "Antefagnaigny," not far from the city.
A Painful Period
In the hearts of her loved ones, there was still hope to avoid the irreversible. But as hope clung on, the disease advanced, wounds worsened, infections appeared and the leg deteriorated. The danger became more threatening each day.
"My wounds had turned completely black and gave off a nauseating smell. We finally went back to the hospital to continue treatment," she recalls.
When the family finally decided to go to a public hospital in the city, doctors confirmed the severity of the situation. There was no other option. To save Helena, amputation was necessary. This time, the parents accepted the intervention. The young girl's left leg was amputated.
Helena survived, but another suffering began. She left the hospital with part of herself missing. The wounds healed, but the inner wound remained immense. At an age when many young people dream of the future, studies, work and freedom, she had to learn to live with crutches, with others' stares, with the slowness imposed by her body.
"The doctors treated me but I left amputated from my left leg. At that point, we had spent more than 3 million ariary," she confides.
For nearly two years, her life became a daily struggle. Getting up, walking, moving around, leaving the house: every simple gesture became an ordeal. But the most painful part was not only physical. It was also the future that seemed to slip away. Because over time, her knee locked, making it impossible to wear an adapted prosthetic. Even after amputation, Helena remained trapped with very limited mobility.
For an amputated young girl, a prosthetic represents more than a medical device. It is the possibility of standing, walking, working, regaining a social life. But for Helena, this possibility seemed still out of reach.
A New Door
In early May 2026, a new opportunity presented itself. Dr. Thomas Vasters, a German trauma surgeon, arrived at Next Polyclinic in Antsiranana. Informed of his presence, Helena and her mother decided to consult. They did not come seeking a miracle, but a possibility.
After medical examinations, the assessment was clear.