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Salma Bashir was just five years old when she went on vacation with her family to visit Alexandria, Egypt. She had been splashing around playing in the kiddie pool when she accidentally sat on the main suction valve. In an instant her whole life changed. Even though she screamed for help and the lifeguard on duty jumped right in to rescue her, it was too late.
When the lifeguard reached her, he couldn’t get her out. Salma’s father rushed over and tried to get her out of the pool as well, but the force from the suction valve was too strong. Finally, a couple of people were able to get her out of the pool, but the damage had already been done. When they carried her out of the water the full horror of her situation set in; her small intestines had been ripped out of her body by the pool suction.
The pain and trauma from what she had just been through caused Salma to pass out. After doctors assessed her injuries, they gave her just weeks to live. There was still hope though, Salma could get on the wait list for a transplant and with nothing to lose her parents decided they had to try. The family moved to Pennsylvania for her treatment and after raising $300,000 and waiting a year and a half, she finally had the surgery.
While she had hoped and prayed that the surgery would be the start of a new, normal life, it turned out to be worse than anyone imagined. Salma’s body rejected the small intestines transplant after just 6 months. She had to have it removed and her large intestines and gall bladder were taken out as well.
In addition, her stomach had to remain open to the point she could see her insides. If she wants to try another transplant again, she’d need to have her small intestines, large intestines, stomach, liver, and pancreas all replaced at an estimated cost of $3 million. There is no guarantee of success and yet Salma wants to try.
Through all the pain, surgeries, and disappointment, Salma has remained steadfastly strong and determined. She hasn’t given up on healing and getting better, she still smiles and chews her mother’s food just to get a taste, even if she can’t swallow it and must spit it out.
Salma’s outgoing and naturally charming, she’s already raised over $75,000 on her GoFundMe page and has over 100K followers on her ‘Slay With Salma’ Facebook page where she does makeup tutorials. Even though she has faced setbacks and enormous obstacles, she hasn’t let them get her down and continues to fight. Hopefully she will prevail and get the surgery she needs and deserves.
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