Meet the world's best-travelled BABY - after his mum and dad split their parental leave and used it to travel the globe
Image by: Samantha Farr
Meet the world's best-travelled BABY - after his mum and dad split their parental leave and used it to travel the globe.
Samantha Farr, 31, and husband Jonathan, 37, decided they were going to embark on their adventure when pregnant with George, now one.
The teachers started planning just two weeks after he arrived in January 2019 and saved up, before splitting Samantha's maternity leave.
Alongside older kids Archie, seven, and Teddy, three, they embarked on a three-month backpacking trip across eight countries and through twelve cities.
They walked parts of the Great Wall of China and paddled over the Great Barrier Reef, surfed the Gold Coast and roamed the deserts of Dubai.
They abandoned hopes of any sort of newborn routine, dealing with the sleepless nights in 19 different places, from hotels and tents to camper vans and hotels, rather than their home in Louth, Lincolnshire.
Now back in the UK, the adventurous family are already missing the freedom and would urge others to follow in their footsteps next year.
Samantha said: "It was the most amazing experience and the kids absolutely loved it, I don't regret it for one minute and we're already talking about planning another adventure.
"Even though the kids are so small, they honestly threw themselves into every adventure and loved every minute.
"They were climbing mountains, riding elephants, running around local markets, racing in tuk tuks - it was amazing and just the most rewarding experience.
"Our eldest son Archie started filming bits from our trips - he said he now wants to be like David Attenborough when he grows up.
"We did a lot of backpacking and stayed in all different kinds of accommodation, from a hotel one day, to a camper van the next and then sleeping in tents as well.
"We wanted to tick off a few bucket list places in our travels too, so we visited the Great Wall of China and showed the kids the Great Barrier Reef which was incredible."
Teachers Samantha and Jonathan have shared their passion for travel over the years and enjoyed many holidays before having children to Mexico, France and Majorca.
They married in 2009 before welcoming son Archie in October 2012, son Teddy in June 2016 and son George in January 2019.
After saving up money together, they split Samantha's maternity leave between them and embark on a three month adventure travelling the world with their children.
Mum Samantha said: "We'd been talking about travelling as a family for ages, and using our maternity leave to do so seemed the most logical decision.
"We saved up money to go travelling and actually thought about doing it with our second child Teddy but he was quite poorly when he was born so we decided not to.
"When I fell pregnant with George, we discussed it again and thought if we don't do it now, then we'll never do it!
Image by: Samantha Farr
Image by: Samantha Farr
Image by: Samantha Farr
Image by: Samantha Farr
Image by: Samantha Farr
Image by: Samantha Farr
Image by: Samantha Farr
Image by: Samantha Farr
Despite their youngest only being five and a half months old when they departed from Stansted Airport in July 2019, the parents weren't worried.
The young family started their travels in Sri Lanka, then went on to Beijing, Tokyo, Bali, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore and ending their three month holiday in Dubai.
Over their three month journey, the family travelled across eight different countries and snapped photographs at every opportunity.
From surfing in Australia to roaming the deserts of Dubai, Samantha and Jonathan's children have certainly experienced more than the average British child.
Returning to the UK in October 2019 with treasured memories and photographs to look back on, the family are already missing the freedom and itching to go travelling again.
The trip has made the family realise they are more suited to this way of living than the traditional life.
They are looking into how to incorporate their love for travelling into their daily lives more, and have just sold their home and are planning their next trip.
Samantha said: "It has been weird being back, I think we all miss travelling and we are thinking about giving up suburbia for life on the road permanently.
"We did make the decision for Archie to miss the first term of the school year to go travelling, which is controversial as we are teachers ourselves, but we did educate him as we travelled.
"We're looking at doing it for longer next time, possibly travelling around North and South America.
"Our boys absolutely loved it and Archie especially is totally up for more.
"We just wanted to show the kids that you don't have to follow the social norm of growing up, getting a job, moving into a house, settling down - there's so much more to do and see than that.
"We wanted our children to see that life is for the living and you can venture out of your comfort zone, and I think we've definitely done that."
Samantha shares her family's adventures on their Instagram account @wildandthreekids
Rock fan dad given surprise performance after unborn baby makes heavy metal sign during a baby scan
Image by: Tom Dowie
A rock fan dad was given a surprise performance after his unborn baby was seen making a heavy metal sign in the womb during a baby scan.
Tom Dowie, 29, and fiancée Caitlin Welsh, 28 were at their 19 week scan last month when their unborn baby gave them the 'sign of the horns'.
The cheeky baby appeared to be holding up its index and little finger while holding its other fingers - looking exactly like the heavy metal rock sign.
The couple said the sonographer allowed the couple to take a picture as she had not seen anything like it during her 20-year career.
The surprised pair from Glasgow, Scotland, are leaving the sex of their baby a surprise until the due date in March.
Self-employed businessman Tom, said: "The sonographer said she had been doing it for almost 20 years and had never seen anything like this.
"I'm an old school heavy metal fan so this really is quite something.
"I listen to old school bands like Slayer, Megadeth and Sylosis and Panthers.
"So I'm pretty chuffed he or she will take after their dad.
"At the last scan the baby was just flipping about.
"He or she was seemed very keen to just get out.
"We looked over at the screen and saw the hand.
"We were just really quite shocked."
Image by: Tom Dowie
Image by: Tom Dowie
The couple - who run beard grooming company Bedfordshire Beard Co together, had brought daughter Freya, 2, along with them at the scan on 2 November at private clinic Baby Stepps.
Caitlyn said: "Obviously when Tom blares out his heavy metal when we're working the baby seems to be enjoying it.
"We've shown Freya and she knows she's getting a little brother or sister.
"She doesn't really have much to say on the hand gesture but she knows we find it all rather funny.
"We were just so shocked when we saw it.
"We just had to get a photo as a keepsake.
"We're very excited to meet him or her."
Man in inflatable Zorb ball struggles to get to his feet for ten minutes after knockdown
Image by: Video Contributor
This is the hilarious moment a man was knocked to the floor and left unable to get up after he got trapped inside his inflatable zorb.
Onlookers captured the moment the man - said to be in his 20s - got stuck inside the blow-up ball, with his arms squished above his head.
He was barged to the floor and left unable to get up after he struggled to get to his feet, at Heatherton World of Activities, Pembrokeshire, in Wales.
Later the man can be seen re-positioning his legs in a bid to hoist himself back up.
A member of staff attempts to help the man by pulling up the Zorbing ball - but again fails miserably.
Moments later a member of the public races in to help tug on the inflatable ball and help the man up.
But as soon as he is helped back on his feet by the two men, he is barged into again and finds himself back on the floor.
An eyewitness said: "We were just in the queue and saw this guy who kept falling over.
"Because of his size he was unable to get his leg in the position to get himself back up.
"This happened for a good ten minutes.
"When he has his arms in the air he looked like a giraffe.
"It was just really funny."
Video by: Video Contributor 3982
Shocking pictures show 150-year-old church tower collapsed shortly before Sunday service
Image by: Tom Maddick SWNS
Shocking pictures show the scale of devastation after a 150-year-old church was reduced to rubble when it suddenly collapsed on Sunday morning (19/1).
Emergency services were called to St John the Baptist Church in High Toynton, Lincs.,
after a historic tower, built in 1872, came down without warning.
Sniffer dogs were brought in by the fire service to search the rubble for bodies - but fortunately nobody was reported injured.
The Grade II-listed church would usually have been packed with parishioners but there was not a service on Sunday.
The remains of the church have been cordoned off by police while an online fundraiser has been set up to help raise £100,000 towards the cost of the repairs.
A structural engineer was inspecting the site this morning (Mon) with the Reverend Charles Patrick.
He said: "It’s obviously a great shock to see the devastation and a great gaping hole.
"The fire service did a thorough job and brought in dogs just to ensure nobody was found."
Horncastle Police tweeted: “We have been supporting the community of High Toynton with Horncastle firefighters after the collapse of the church tower.
“No injuries to report thankfully and we will be supporting the community with regular 24 hours checks of the site.”
Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire, Marc Jones, also tweeted: “What a terrible shock for the whole community.
“Glad that everyone is safe but what a sad sight to see.”
Image by: Steve Chatterley
Image by: Steve Chatterley
Image by: Tom Maddick SWNS
Image by: Tom Maddick SWNS
There has been a parish church at the site since the 13th century and the current building was constructed using mainly greenstone in 1872 by Ewan Christian.
The architect, who also restored Southwell Minster and Carlisle Cathedral, reused 12th-century fragments and Norman stone from the previous church erected in 1779.
High Toynton is known as a "doubly thankful" village - it is one of only 14 in the UK where all the men came back from both World Wars.
Included in the church is a bank of Living Memories, which includes a resident’s diary of 1939 to 1941.
Group administrator of Horncastle churches Debbie Knight said: “The Reverend is there this morning with the structural engineer.
“There was not a service yesterday and we believe the collapse happened in the morning.”
A JustGiving page has been set up by Robert Tomkinson, a villager who got married in the church, to raise money to rebuild the church tower.
Robert said: “On Sunday, January 19, the tower of St John the Baptist church in High Toynton collapsed, taking down almost 150 years of history.
"Thankfully no one was hurt.
“The rest of the building is still standing - but the challenge of rebuilding starts now and the village will need all the help it can get!
“We don’t know how much we will need at this stage but the final figure will no doubt be very high - all money raised here will go to the High Toynton Village Fund.
“The church is the heart of village life (and the only community building left after the bus stop!). It hosts church services and music nights throughout the year.
“If you have any connection to High Toynton - we need your help.
“There is so much history behind this wonderful building.
"There has been a church on this site since the 13th century and High Toynton is one of only 14 villages in the UK to be ‘doubly thankful’ - with everyone who fought in both World Wars returning home.
“This fundraising target will be updated once the full costs of rebuilding are known - but any money you can give will help.”
A Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue spokesperson said: "Crews from Horncastle, Spilsby and Woodhall Spa went out to St John the Baptist's church following a call to Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue at 12.42pm.
"They used thermal imaging cameras to search for possible trapped people.
"Our Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) and search dog from Sleaford then attended and carried out a full search, and no people were found. Crews left about 3.30pm."
Video by: Ashley Moran
Incredible video shows super rare volcanic lightning caused by the eruption of volcano in the Philippines
Image by: Karima Dhalani
This is the moment a killer volcano caused ultra rare volcanic lightning to fork across the sky in the Philippines.
More than 8,000 people were ordered to leave their homes last night (Sunday) after Taal volcano started to spew giant ash clouds, accompanied by rumbling and tremors.
The volcano has erupted more than 30 times over past 300 years, killing 6,000 people, and started become volatile again this weekend.
A 17-year-old local resident, whose family decided to stay in their home, shot this video from his balcony in Tagaytay city on Sunday.
It shows rare volcanic lightening - a long debated phenomenon which typically occurs at the start of an eruption.
Image by: Karima Dhalani
Image by: Karima Dhalani
He said: "It was around 6pm and me and my family just arrived home.
"We had a plan to leave but we decided to just return home.
"When we arrived I went to balcony to get a better view.
"I wanted to take a photo but instead took a video and that’s when the thunder struck."
The exact cause of volcanic lightning has been long has been debated.
Volcanic lightning is an electrical discharge caused by a volcanic eruption, rather than from an ordinary thunderstorm.
It is thought to be caused by colliding ash - and sometimes ice - which generating static energy in the volcanic plume, when the particles rub together.
Taal is the Philippines' second most active volcano and situated on an island in the middle of a lake.
Video by: Gabriella Petty
A fitness fanatic who nearly died in a horror car crash has found love with the woman he was meant to go on a date with on the day he lost his limbs
Image by: Craig Towler
A fitness fanatic who nearly died in a horror car crash has found love with the woman he was meant to go on a date with - on the day he lost his limbs.
Craig Towler, 32, of Boulder, Colorado, was grabbing a cooler out of his trunk on the Fourth of July in 2016.
A car veered into a parked car, trapping him between the two vehicles and crushing both of his legs irreparably.
In the hospital, while doctors discussed his double amputations, Craig asked a friend to let his new love interest Amanda, 30, know that he wouldn’t be able to make the date they had planned for that evening.
The pair had only been seeing each other for three weeks, but Amanda rushed to Craig’s bedside and, three-and-a-half-years later they are still together.
He said: ''I looked down and I saw both my legs were disconnected,” he said. ''They were pretty much broken off with just skin holding the ligaments together.”
Craig, an events coordinator, added: “I honestly didn’t know what to expect but she was there immediately, no questions asked and I knew she would be the one for me.”
In the following months he endured nine surgeries and intensive physical therapy.
“Amanda was with me more days than not,” he said.
Eight months after his release from the hospital the couple moved in together.
Craig said: “Amanda was a big part of everything. We are extremely happy.”
As devastating as Craig’s incident was, he believes it brought him closer to Amanda.
He said: “It 100 percent helped to have a partner there in such a hard time…with so many emotions going on.
“It shows a lot about that person, to be so comforting for someone who is in that much distress.
“In that short period of time I quickly learned how selfless and kind she is, especially considering the shape I was in.”
Remembering the day of the accident is still traumatic for Craig.
He said: ”I was bleeding out so badly from the impact of the car bumper The impact was extremely concentrated on my legs.
"They were crushed and they were hanging there, but not fully gone.
"I didn't realize at the time what had happened, but I knew something had happened that was major.
"Some people came by and helped lay me flat on the ground."
Image by: Craig Towler
Image by: Craig Towler
Image by: Craig Towler
Image by: Craig Towler
Shockingly, Craig was still conscious and was able to speak.
"I instructed them how to tie tourniquets around my legs with belts or whatever they had to stop the bleeding,” he said.
Craig’s injuries were so severe that he had to be airlifted in a helicopter to the trauma center at Denver Health Medical Center.
"I was conscious the entire time and I remember everything until being sedated for the surgeries,” he said.
"I still have those memories and sometimes things trigger them.
Doctors told Craig that if they did not amputate his legs from the knee down, he would bleed to death.
“It was either life or limb,” Craig said.
“I was bleeding out so badly that I could have died.
"I remember telling the doctor: ‘You know what, just do what you have to do.’"
His right leg was amputated at the knee and his left leg was amputated below the knee.
But Craig was determined that he would not let the tragic accident dominate his life.
"When I was in ICU I made a very conscious decision,” he said.
"I was talking to my mom and I said I need to accept what had happened and that it was real.
“Only once I had that acceptance could I move forward.
"Though my path was a different one and a lot more challenging, I was still alive, and I decided to live."
Craig spent his 29th birthday, on July 20 2016, getting 87 staples removed from his legs.
In September 2016, just a little over a month after being released from the hospital, he went back to work.
Before he lost his legs, Craig was a sports enthusiast and regularly took part in 10k runs.
He and Amanda first met at their local gym, where she worked as a fitness trainer.
“It took a while for me to get the guts to talk to her. I actually would schedule my workouts around the time when she was working,” he admitted.
“I would say ‘hi’ and ‘bye’ and finally I walked up to her. It was a slow process for me.
“I’m really happy that I finally did it.”
Before his horrific injuries Craig aimed to participate in BOLDERBoulder, a popular race that takes place every Memorial Day in Colorado.
Just ten months after his amputation, he completed the race in his wheelchair.
He has now participated in the race three times. He also kayaks, skis, hand-cycles and rope climbs, as well as working-out regularly in the gym.
He said: ”What has happened is now part of me, but I don't lose sight of what I was before and I've found a happy balance.”
Craig has since founded Amputee Concierge, a program offering people who have lost limbs advice, support and information on life as amputees. More information can be found at www.amputeeconcierge.org.
As for his relationship with Amanda, Craig said: “I definitely see a future. As with everything else, we take things day by day.”
Video by: Gabriella Petty
Lorry-mad four-year-old boy gets ultimate toy when his uncle builds huge remote controlled truck - he can actually ride in
Image by: Adam Hughes SWNS
A truck-mad four-year-old has been given the ultimate boys toy after his uncle built him a remote controlled LORRY he can ride around in.
Darren Buckler, 40, spent 12 hours over two days constructing the £600 replica of a Mercedes Actros HGV in his garage at home for nephew Hugene (corr).
The self-employed landscaper decided to build the vehicle as a Christmas present after Hugene spent five weeks in hospital with kidney disease in December.
The 24-volt battery-powered four-wheel drive lorry has a plank aluminium body and flashing safety lights and is big enough for a child to sit in and drive.
Darren says Hugene loves nothing more than travelling around his local park in the impressive toy, which has a top speed of 5mph and a battery life of over an hour.
He is now hoping to quit his job to make the models full-time after being inundated with orders when he posted a photo of the present on Facebook.
Former trucker Darren has so far made over £10,000 in less than a month selling ten lorries at £690 each and raffling five off at £15 a ticket.
The dad-of-three says there is currently a two-week waiting time on the trucks, which are 2ft wide, 4.5ft long and 4ft tall and are available in red, black, blue or white.
Image by: Adam Hughes SWNS
Image by: Adam Hughes SWNS
Image by: Adam Hughes SWNS
Image by: Adam Hughes SWNS
Image by: Adam Hughes SWNS
Darren, who lives with partner Leanne Bradford, 37, in Walsall, West Mids., said: “Trucks have always been my hobby.
“I used to be a lorry driver. I have driven them for the last 20 years.
“I saw one of these toy lorries and thought ‘I could make a more realistic one of them' so I gave it a go for Hugene, who is my brother-in-laws son.
“It was to cheer him up really as he had just come out of Birmingham Children's Hospital with kidney disease, which is going to require further operations.
“We live in the same street and there’s a green area called the snicket where he can drive it. He absolutely loves it.
"I thought it would be a one-off but then I posted some photos of it on Facebook and I was inundated with requests for them. Its like the whole country wants one.
"I might pack my full time job in and try to set up myself as a business but at the moment I’m enjoying my hobby.
"I don't make much profit from them as they cost about £600 to build but I'm hoping to reduce the cost if I can buy the materials in bulk.
"I'm also going to raffle some off for charity as well, its not really about the money for me at the moment, I'm just enjoying making them for now.
“Everyone is interested in trucks round here so I've had a few orders locally as well as family and friends.
"But there are a lot of orders on Facebook. I can make them for kids to match their dad’s truck. I can’t build them quick enough at the moment."
Video by: Gabriella Petty
Ten-year-old boy dubbed 'human snake' because he suffers from rare skin condition - that causes him to SHED his skin every six weeks
Image by: Dinesh Dubey
These shocking photos show a ten-year-old boy who has been dubbed the 'human snake' - because a rare skin condition causes him to SHED his skin every month.
The youngster, known only as Jagannath, suffers from rare genetic skin condition lamellar ichthyosis, which causes the skin to grow too fast, dry out, and shed.
Jagannath's case is so severe that his skin sheds every four to six weeks.
He is forced to bathe every hour and smear himself with moisturiser every three hours to try to relieve the symptoms.
Shocking photos of the young boy, from the Ganjam district of eastern India, show his skin completely dried out and flaky, stretched over his body like scales.
His skin has become so tight that he is often left unable to walk properly, and needs a stick to help him stretch out his limbs.
Image by: Dinesh Dubey
Image by: Dinesh Dubey
Image by: Dinesh Dubey
Sadly, there is no cure for Jagannath's condition - and his father, Prabhakar Pradhan, who works as a labourer in a paddy field, can not afford the cost of his son's treatment.
He said: "My son has suffered this disease since childhood, and there is no cure for it.
"I do not have enough money to take him for a treatment and my heart breaks seeing him suffer with this cursed disease every day."
A dermatologist in the Indian district, who did not wish to be identified, said: "This disease is not treatable, although some doctors say there is a cure."
Dr Rakhesh, senior consultant dermatologist at Aster MIMS hospital in Kerala, India, said lamellar ichthyosis is one of the rarest congenital skin conditions.
There is currently no cure, but the condition can be treated with creams and some medications to prevent complications and improve quality of life.
Video by: Gabriella Petty
A gym addict was given the all-clear from pelvic cancer from the NHS despite having secondary tumours in her spine - that were found when she had a PRIVATE scan
Image by: Dan Rowlands SWNS
A gym addict told she was cancer-free by NHS doctors was stunned to find she was riddled with secondary tumours just a month later when she had a private MRI scan.
Super-fit Gemma Sisson, 38, says medics MISSED the tumours in a three separate scans taken in the seven months AFTER she was given the all-clear.
Her last NHS scan, which revealed no cancer, was taken just a month before her private one.
Now Gemma, who has been told she is terminally ill, is calling for better NHS screening for all cancer sufferers.
Her ordeal began in the summer of 2017 when a lump she discovered in her groin was diagnosed in March 2018 as pelvic cancer.
After chemotherapy sessions at the Leeds Cancer Centre, attached to St James's University Hospital, she was given the all-clear in January this year.
A final series of scans were taken and in July it was confirmed she was cancer-free.
But shockingly, after complaining to a physiotherapist about pain in her neck and back she had suffered since March this year she was advised to pay £330 for a private MRI scan.
To her horror it revealed that she had secondary tumours in her neck, back, liver and stomach.
Gemma said: "Obviously I wasn't all-clear.
"I had a final, bigger CT scan from the NHS in July to check the cancer had gone.
"They missed small tumours that had developed in my stomach and they did not scan far up enough to spot the cancer at the top of my spine - they missed it by millimetres."
Gemma has now started a petition calling for thorough checks for the life-threatening illness before patients are told they are cancer-free.
It has so far attracted almost 50,000 signatures with many contributors telling their own horror stories of how they did not find other cancers until it was too late.
Gemma, who now has a collapsed spine, feels lucky to have at least found her secondary cancer before she became completely paralysed, but feels it could have been detected earlier.
Her diagnosis came after a private physiotherapist she was seeing for chronic back and neck pain told her she ought to have a scan as what she was suffering was not normal.
The scan she paid £330 for in August - just one month after her last NHS scan - revealed cancer in her spine had eaten away at two and a half vertebrae.
Image by: Dan Rowlands SWNS
Image by: Simon Galloway
Image by: Simon Galloway
Image by: Dan Rowlands SWNS
Image by: Dan Rowlands SWNS
The scan showed the tumours growing on her spine, liver and her stomach, and Gemma was dealt the heartbreaking blow that they were secondary cancer and incurable.
Project manager Gemma said: "I was given the all-clear in January and was having three monthly scans after that.
"At my last scan in July they decided I could now switch to yearly scans.
"I dread to think how bad I would have become waiting another year for a scan."
About her neck and back pain, Gemma said: "I never connected the two.
"I was going to my GP and was getting very strong pain killers but it did not enter my head that it could be anything to do with cancer.
"Unfortunately, nobody else - including a chiropractor and medics at Leeds General Infirmary (LGI) A&E - made the connection either or even looked any further to investigate my back pain.
"When I went for private physio care, the pyshiotherapist told me straight away that I ought to go for a scan on my neck to see what was going on - the pain was so severe I had to pick my own head up to get up in the morning.
"He had worked at the LGI in the spinal injuries unit for several years, and he literally saved my life and stopped me being paralysed."
Gemma underwent major surgery at the LGI on her spine, which took seven hours, during which they removed the tumours and collapsed vertebrae and relieved pressure on her spinal cord.
At this stage doctors are unable to give Gemma a prognosis, but it is uncurable.
Gemma will undergo chemotherapy every three weeks from now until the cancer ultimately takes her life.
So far the pain has improved but she has good and bad days.
At the moment her only form of exercise is to go out for walks.
Gemma said: "I am very fit and healthy, I eat well and exercise, I've never smoked and don't drink to excess, sadly I think this possibly went against me as I was ill.
"Even I didn't think this could happen to me."
Gemma, who lives in Leeds, but comes from Bridlington, East Yorks., is now hoping to make a difference to others and show how important it is to have better investigation - and possibly full-body scans - before giving the all-clear.
While she campaigns she is also trying to make the most of her life.
She has got back together with her ex, gym owner Ricky Moore, 39, who she dated for 14 years before breaking up in December 2017.
Gemma's friends Rachael Harrison and Sarah Brown started up a GoFundMe page to raise funds for her to cover rent and day-to-day expenses - and tick off some activities on her bucket list - now she is no longer able to work, which has already raised almost £15,000.
To donate to Gemma's page, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/fundraising-for-gemma.
To sign Gemma's petition go to: Change.org/fullbodycheck
Dr Yvette Oade, Chief Medical Officer at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said:
“Full body scans are offered to cancer patients where it is appropriate and there is
clinical evidence to support this, in order to assess the patient’s response to
treatment.
"Unfortunately there is never a guarantee, even if there is no evidence of active
disease after treatment, that the cancer will not recur in another area of the body.”
Teenage girl who grew up with bowlegs is going back to school for the first time in a decade after charity offered corrective surgery
Image by: Matthew Newby SWNS
These incredible before and after photos show the transformation of a teenager who had surgery on her extremely bowed legs.
Valerie, 14 - who the charity refuse to fully name - developed bowed legs at the age of four and had such low self confidence, she begged to be pulled out of school.
She joined her uncle's tailoring shop as an apprentice and worked hard, despite her extremely bent legs which arched out, making it difficult for her to walk.
The talented seamstress was sewing when a customer told her a hospital boat operated by charity Mercy Ships has docked near her home in Cotonou, Benin, in West Africa.
Valerie boarded the charity's ship Africa Mercy and was one of 76 children and teenagers to receive free surgery during the boat's 10-month stint.
Her bow-leggedness was corrected with surgery and physical therapy and now she can walk and run and is planning to return to school.
Valerie said: "I was desperate to learn how to read. A friend onboard gave me a few alphabet pages for me to trace - and the next day I told her I needed more to read!
"I was very happy. I told myself - 'I no longer want to be a seamstress! I want to go back to school!'
"Not long after then, my legs were strong enough for me to go home. School will be great. People will say - 'is this the same girl? Her legs are straight'!"
Bow-leggedness is a deformity marked by outward bowing at the knee, which gives the limb the appearance of an archer's bow.
Image by: Matthew Newby SWNS
Image by: Matthew Newby SWNS
Image by: Matthew Newby SWNS
The chief cause is rickets, but it can also be caused by skeletal problems, infections, and tumours.
Valerie did not wish to disclose the cause of her condition.
During Valerie's knee operation, surgeons removed a wedge of bone from the outside of both her knees, causing her legs to bend inward.
After general anesthetic was administered, a five-inch incision was made down the front and outside of her knees.
Guide wires were drilled into the top of the shin bones from the outside of the knees, before an oscillating saw was run along those wires, removing most of the bone wedge.
The tops of Valerie's shin bones were then lowered on the outside and attached with surgical screws, before her tissue was stitched back together.
One of five daughters, Valerie was in post-surgery rehab for about four months, during which she learned to read.
Mercy Ships operates the largest non-governmental hospital ship in the world, providing humanitarian aid for terminally-ill patients.
It has operated in more than 57 developing nations and 18 developed nations around the world, with a current focus on African countries.
