Walking Tall: Sam's Life Changing Steps to Recovery

When I first fell ill, it was very unsettling. One day, my right leg just stopped working—it felt like it was asleep, and I couldn’t walk on it at all. I went to a hospital near my hometown in Babati, where they ran several tests but couldn’t find the problem. They gave me medication and sent me home, but my condition didn’t improve.

Eventually, someone recommended I visit FAME Hospital. When I arrived, the doctors wasted no time and immediately began running tests. The next day, I returned to hear the results. They explained that my right leg was paralyzed due to an issue on the left side of my brain. I was both shocked and amazed.

Soon after, I underwent surgery at FAME. I don’t remember much of the operation itself—I was unconscious—but I woke up two days later and began doing small exercises under the guidance of the medical team. That was when I first realized I could stand upright again. I had thought I might never recover, but the care and attention I received at FAME made all the difference.

Before, I used to walk hunched over, with someone supporting me on one side and a cane in the other hand. Now, I can walk upright again without a cane. The surgery scar on my head has also healed. I’m incredibly grateful to the doctors and nurses who helped me through this illness.

I really never thought I would recover, so when I saw a FAME staff member walking around campus with a camera, I felt compelled to ask if I could share my story. I want people not to lose hope and to know that if I could recover, so can they.