For Nigerian girl with rare birth defect, Taiwan comes through

Taipei, June 23 (CNA) A Nigerian girl born without a normal anal opening can now eat and discharge solid waste normally for the first time in her life, thanks to the support of Taipei Medical University Hospital (TMUH) and Taiwanese nonprofit organizations.

At a press conference Monday, the hospital celebrated the successful treatment of Miracle, a 7-year-old Nigerian girl born with imperforate anus, a rare congenital condition affecting roughly one in 5,000 births, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

Her first encounter with Taiwan came in 2024, when Liu Ping-hung (劉秉泓), a general surgeon with Taiwan Roots Medical Peace Corps (TRMPC), spotted her among a crowd waiting for help at a free TRMPC clinic in Nigeria.

Because of limited medical resources in her community, Miracle had lived with a temporary stoma -- an opening, often in the abdomen, created when the digestive system is not working -- since birth to manage her daily bodily functions.

Her mother, Jennifer, said financial difficulties prevented the family from purchasing ostomy pouches -- a pouch specifically designed to collect waste from a stoma -- forcing them to cover the stoma with diapers or even just bandages.

As her condition worsened, they repeatedly washed and reused the bandages because they could not afford replacements, Jennifer said.

Miracle also suffered from developmental delays and abdominal swelling, and faced discrimination due to her condition as she grew up, the mother said.

After learning of her situation, TRMPC Chairperson Liu Chi-chun (劉啟群) initiated a plan to bring Miracle to Taiwan for treatment.

TMUH and Sentec Group Chairman Huang Chao-hui (黃釗輝) would cover her medical expenses, TRMPC would pay for airfare and living expenses, and Taiwan's Ronald McDonald House, the Merry House Social Welfare Foundation, and other volunteers would provide accommodation and daily care, according to the TRMPC.

To treat Miracle, TMUH Director of Pediatric Surgery Huang Fu-huan (黃富煥) assembled a multidisciplinary team, including specialists in pediatric intensive care, radiology, and international medical services, to develop a treatment plan for Miracle.

That plan was put into action in two stages over four months once Miracle arrived in Taiwan in March. It included anorectoplasty, which corrected the anorectal malformation, anal reconstruction, and final stoma closure.

Huang described the treatment as a success that restored Miracle's intestinal functions, which will help improve her quality of life and establish a foundation for future growth and development.

Miracle was discharged on June 11, and she is now hoping to return to school and fulfill her dream of becoming a doctor, the TMUH said in a statement.

Jennifer said her daughter's recovery was the greatest miracle of her life, and that, because there were so many people to thank, she would simply express her gratitude to God and to the many volunteers who helped her family.