In an abandoned tent in Jordan's Zaatari refugee camp, Sham Morjan has being living with cerebral palsy since her birth. Morjan, a little girl of 6 years old, seems younger than her age after she stopped growing, talking and moving, or experiencing her childhood like other youths around her.
Three years ago, Morjan took refuge with her family after fleeing from the city of Jasim in rural Daraa. Her father, who works as a laborer on an agricultural project outside the camp, told Zaman al-Wasl that his daughter was born with cerebral palsy. He added that after undertaking an MRI scan and speaking with a neurologist it was confirmed that Morjan suffers from a condition that is only treatable in Europe.
At the time, her doctor had vowed to send her abroad for treatment, but the war prevented this as the number of regime barriers between Damascus and Daraa grew.
After eventually escaping to Jordan, Morjan visited doctors at the Moroccan hospital in the Zaatari camp. But her father said the staff only provided her with vague medical diagnoses and painkillers.
Speaking to Zaman al-Wasl, Morjan’s mother said that she had gone to the hospital with a copy of Morjan’s scans and medical reports which she had brought with her from Syria. One of the doctors said that Morjan had suffered from blockage in the arteries and asked her to see the UNHCR, but was refused by the agency because the family could not provide new and expensive medical documents or a diagnosis.
Morjan’s father said that he took her to visit hospitals and doctors in Syria when he had money, but after he took refuge in Jordan he was unable to afford the visits. He added that Morjan’s condition is very expensive to take care of, explaining that he is forced to sell half his UNHCR food coupons to meet the financial needs.
This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
