GALVESTON, Texas -- A 4-year-old girl burned during a U.S. drone attack in Pakistan two years ago is receiving free reconstructive surgery in Galveston.
Scars can’t hide her smile. The girl, who’s being treated at Shriner’s Hospital, shows so much joy her caretakers named her Shakira, which means thankful.
"She’s coming to her goal to be treated," said Hashmat Effendi, Shakira’s caretaker with the House of Charity, the group responsible for treatment.
A medical mission team from the House of Charity found Shakira burned beyond description after a U.S. drone attack two years ago in Pakistan. They found her in a trash bin. Effendi calls the girl lucky.
"There were two other children who were with Shakira who unfortunately didn’t make it," Effendi said. "They (died) in our (medical mission camp)."
Shakira is about to get reconstructive surgery on her nose, face and hands.
"It’s not easy and it’s not a single-day procedure," said Dr. Robert McCauley, who is performing all of the surgeries, free of charge.
McCauley has done these types of surgeries for 25 years. He sees something special in Shakira. It is something critical to success. It’s all in her smile.
"One thing I’ve learned over the years is that children adapt well when they have support and when they are (upbeat)," Dr. McCauley said.
Doctors said recovery will take at least a year, but more likely, many years for Shakira. Even then, scars will remain. Still, Shakira remains thankful.
