Audio By Carbonatix
With a heavy ¢94,000 price tag on her corrective surgery, Jemima Quartey looked destined for a life in a distorted body bowed in submission to a painful spine condition, scoliosis.
But public-spirited support and a private surgeon teamed up to gift the girl with the hunchback a chance to literally walk chest out and straight up.
It all began with human-centered journalism.
Joy News’ Emefa Ewoenam Atiamoah-Eli, in October 2015, forced Jemima’s plight into public conscience in a TV, radio and online story A happy spirit trapped in unhappy body: a story about Jemima's spine.
A cruel anatomical dispute between the body and the spine meant that while Jemima’s spine keeps shifting to the left, her body shifts to the right. Doctors call it Juvenile Scoliosis.

Jemima Quartey could feel the pain, feel the discomfort, feel her odd, queer and weird body which is very different from her classmates. But she can't talk about it.
She cannot tell anybody that she has Juvenile Scoliosis - because it has wrecked damage to her speech too. Trapping her happy spirit in an unhappy body.
While public donations running into ¢41, 000 wiped away her father’s tears, it was Prof. Oheneba Boachie-Adjei who banished his fears that his daughter’s condition had become near hopeless
The orthopedic surgeon and his "Dream Team' took up Jemima’s case and conducted the surgery without any charge.

A scoliosis curve of 127 degrees has been slashed to 50, leaving Jemimah straightened up by about 70%.
“I wanna give back so…if I treat someone and I don’t charge them, to me, I have [given an offering in church], internationally acclaimed Professor Oheneba Boachie-Adjei told Joy News.
For the first time in five years, Jemimah took a healthy step without any sense of pity, plight or pain. The family raptured into joy as their 6-year-old girl took her first steps of recovery after the surgery.

Even her 2yr-old younger brother Jethro has found joy now that he can benefit of the full company of her sister.
To prove that she can now speak, Jemima recited poems and sang all the songs she can remember, including her birthday melody.
In documentary sure to strike every cord of your emotions, Joy News presents, COMPLEX SPINES, the success story of 6yr-old Jemima Quartey.

It runs on Joy News channel on Multi TV Monday and Tuesday at 6:30pm
Watch trailer
Latest Stories
-
Gov’t urged to prioritise welfare of autistic children to tackle stigmatisation and street begging
31 minutes -
Gov’t urges Gaming Commission to align industry growth with economic transformation agenda
58 minutes -
WHO declares Ebola outbreak in DR Congo a global health emergency
1 hour -
STC targets 120 new buses to combat mounting terminal delays
2 hours -
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang demands a permanent African voice on the UN Security Council
2 hours -
Tourism Minister tours Upper West, crowns Wiyaala ‘Fugu Ambassador’ and champions heritage preservation
3 hours -
Wa East celebrates culture as Wiyaala is crowned Fugu Queen and Tourism Ambassador
3 hours -
Wa East MP, DCE commission classroom block for Manwe JHS, pledge road repairs
4 hours -
Wontumi in court over fraud and GH₵30m financial loss to Ghana EXIM Bank allegations
5 hours -
Lebanon says six killed in Israeli strike as US announces ceasefire extension
5 hours -
Ex-NAFCO boss Hanan and wife dragged back to court over alleged theft, fraud and money laundering exceeding GH¢60m
5 hours -
Ghana Police secure Czech cyber-forensics boost to tackle digital crime
6 hours -
‘The work is only beginning’ – Prof. Opoku-Agyemang warns against economic complacency
6 hours -
Gov’t rules out return to global debt markets as IMF bailout ends
7 hours -
Advtech announces launch of Rosebank International
7 hours