Another bright example showing cerebral palsy is not a sentence.
22-year-old Mariana Sfakianakis from Australia, regularly reminds her 60k followers she is not the same girl she used to be.
Sydney fitness influencer and personal wellness coach shared her childhood images with legs covered in plaster, hoping that in this way she can inspire other people to be strong even if they have a disability.
“I was born in Greece as a premature baby. Doctors told my mother before the birth that I would be stillborn, and therefore we were not prepared for postpartum procedures.”
“I was immediately sent to the intensive care unit, but by then I had been without oxygen for a long time, which caused brain damage and a permanent condition called cerebral palsy,” says Sfakianakis on Instagram.
Many infants being born even today end up with brain damage, caused by inadequate oxygen or physical injury during birth, some of which can be attributed to medical negligence. Although medical compensation for the enormous medical bills and expensive treatments can almost always be fought for by the parents with help of expert lawyers (click here to know more about the legal implications of a brain injury), the impact it has on a vulnerable baby goes beyond what any price can properly compensate for. While some people like Mariana take it in stride and get better due to their effort alone, many others are left disabled due to no fault of their own.
Mariana’s condition affected the movement of her legs, muscle control, and balance. At five, she moved to Australia hoping to find more advanced doctors and treatment.
“As a child, I did not understand what was really happening, and why I was different from other children. They mocked me because I couldn’t walk, like everyone else, and because I was in a wheelchair. It caused serious anxiety, depression and being so small. I did not know how to cope with it, except how to hurt myself. At six I had a multilevel operation … leaving nine scars on my legs “continues Mariana.
Fortunately, the operation was successful, but Sfakianakis could not move her legs for another eight months. And afterward, she had to learn how to walk using crutches.
“Although they told me that I would never be 100% normal, my results were incredible, and I’m grateful to that. I never wanted to be perfect. It’s just better, “she concludes.
Mariana shows her incredible fitness skills and personal records via her page on Instagram. The girl told that the exercises helped her overcome long-standing mental and physical problems.
“I fell in love with fitness and I fell in love with myself. This journey to recovery and getting fit has not only changed me physically but most importantly, mentally. I owe everything to those who believed in me and love me just the way I am.”
Social networks and exercises completely changed the life of Mariana. Her subscribers find inspiration looking at her, especially in “similar situations”.
“I built myself as a strong and independent young lady, who is always focused on daily improvement. My fitness trip had a huge impact on my life today and the support of all my friends and family, “she said.
Mariana concludes her inspirational story with next allegory: “Life is definitely one big roller coaster ride. It will always have it’s ups, downs, twists, and turns and you might never really expect or prepare for certain situations that life takes you through, but an amazing human recently told me that unfortunately, life has no formula. We can plan, hope for the best, anticipate what we want, but at the end of the day, life deals its own course with us. We just have to enjoy the ride.”
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