In the Emergency Department at Boston Children’s Hospital, Aya handed her baby to the doctors and asked, “Please, can you save my daughter?”
Fourteen-month-old Laila had been misdiagnosed nine times by physicians in her home country, Egypt, and was critically ill. After being treated incorrectly with steroids, her bones were so weak that she broke both of her legs.
When a friend in the U.S. told Laila’s parents, Aya and Karim, about Boston Children’s Hospital, the family made a desperate, 5,500-mile journey—flying across the world to save their child.
At Boston Children’s, a team of specialists and researchers discovered that Laila has a rare, genetic condition—there are only 100 cases reported worldwide. Doctors at Boston Children’s treat many rare conditions and were familiar with Laila’s. So Laila began to get the care she needed to stabilize her health and live a normal life.
'Now we have hope'
Today, Boston is the family’s home. Laila is cared for by a dedicated team of Boston Children’s specialists from across the hospital and she participates in two research studies. Her mom, Aya, plans to enter nursing school to help other families like hers someday.
There are still some unknowns about Laila’s health, but she is thriving. She is a social butterfly who enjoys school and time on the playground with her older sister. Laila loves to run, jump and sing, and is a talented ice skater.
“I know Boston Children’s is the best place to be for rare and complex cases,” Aya says. “They never give up on Laila, and now we have hope.”
Boston Children’s is the best place to be for rare and complex cases.
Aya, Laila's mom
