‘I never imagined I would ever walk’
Arsen Tigranyan and Ruzanna Hakobyan. Photo used with permission."
The project Sustainability of Rehabilitation in Armenia builds the capacity of regional doctors and nurses and creates rehabilitation teams for early diagnosis and treatment of childhood disabilities. Initiated in 2007 by the Jinishian Memorial Program (JMP), the project has transformed the lives of hundreds of children with cerebral palsy, spina bifida, congenital hip disorders and scoliosis.
Nine-year-old Arsen Tigranyan from Ashtarak town is one of the children positively affected by the project. Unlike other children, Arsen did not attend school or play in playgrounds, because his disability affected his ability to walk. He felt isolated and never imagined he could be an equal member of his community. A local therapist and project participant, Ruzanna Hakobyan, examined Arsen and diagnosed him with cerebral palsy.
In 2008, Arsen underwent a successful surgery led by the project’s partner, Doctor Koloyan, and his medical team. JMP provided him with a posterior walker. All of this enabled Arsen to take his first steps. “I never imagined that I would ever walk,” he said. Now Arsen attends school and has made many friends.
Eliza Minasyan
Country Director, Armenia
Jinishian Memorial Program
