Afsheen Gul Could Not Hold Her Head Upright for 12 Years – Then a Delhi Surgeon Offered Her a Second Chance

Afsheen Gul Could Not Hold Her Head Upright for 12 Years – Then a Delhi Surgeon Offered Her a Second Chance.

For the first twelve years of her life, Afsheen Gul could not look the world in the eye. Her chin was locked close to her chest, her world reduced to the ground beneath her feet. A simple fall from her sister’s arms when she was only ten months old had resulted in a rare and devastating spinal condition. As she grew, her neck gradually curved into an almost 90-degree angle, making everyday activities—walking, eating, or even speaking—an immense struggle.

Afsheen, the youngest of seven siblings from the Sindh province of Pakistan, was confined to her home in Mithi. She never attended school or played with friends. Her mother, Jamilan Bibi, recalled how her daughter would simply lie on the ground, needing help with everything. The family’s financial situation meant they could not afford the complex treatment she so desperately needed.

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In 2019, a British journalist highlighted Afsheen’s plight, which eventually brought her story to Dr Rajagopalan Krishnan, a specialist in complex spinal surgery at Apollo Hospital in Delhi. Dr Krishnan did not hesitate. He reached out to Afsheen’s family and offered to perform the life-altering surgery free of charge .

Dr Krishnan explained that Afsheen suffered from atlanto-axial rotatory dislocation, a dislocation of the spine that causes neck impairment. He noted that her case was likely the first of its kind in the world. Without intervention, her life expectancy would have been cut short.

The family, having faced setbacks in Pakistan including a 50% survival chance warning and bureaucratic delays, applied for medical visas and arrived in India in November 2021.

It was an anxious time. Dr Krishnan warned the family of the risks, telling them that her heart or lungs might fail during the procedure . But he also gave them something they had not had in years: hope.

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In February 2022, a team of surgeons performed a six-hour operation to stabilize Afsheen’s skull and upper spine using rods and screws. This was the main surgery of four major operations she underwent during her stay.

The treatment worked.

For the first time in her life, Afsheen could hold her head upright. In the months following the successful surgery, she began to walk, talk, and eat independently. While she remains a little weaker than other children, and recovery is ongoing, her life has changed forever.

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Dr Krishnan continues to monitor her progress through weekly Skype calls. For Afsheen’s brother, Yaqoob Kumbar, Dr Krishnan is nothing short of an angel. “We are so happy—the doctor saved my sister’s life. For us, he is an angel,” he told the BBC .

Afsheen Gul’s journey from a life of confinement to standing tall is not just a story of medical success. It is a story of compassion that crossed one of the world’s most guarded borders, proving that the desire to heal transcends all boundaries.