Twelve-year old Pedrito was riding on a motorcycle when the driver lost control and sent the boy flying. His leg was found bent at a right angle, and the child was immediately transported to CEML Hospital. Traumatic injuries – especially those of vehicular origin – are among the top causes of both years-of-life lost in developing nations and hospital admissions at CEML. Another frequent CEML Hospital phenomena is patients coming for care whose fractures occurred month or even years before, were never adequately treated, and now require extensive surgical repair and rehabilitation.
But Pedrito is particularly blessed by swift action. Annelise Olsen, CEML general surgeon, inserted a rod into his fractured femur, stabilizing the bone. This photo, captured the next day, documents the boy taking his first steps on that leg which just hours before lay shattered.