Stepping Into the World She Imagined

The world looked different through Julieta’s eyes.

With every hurried footstep around her, she was reminded of a freedom she had never known.

Still, Julieta and her mother, Tania, shared one unwavering dream: that Julieta would one day walk on two feet.

Born with proximal femoral focal deficiency, a rare birth defect in which the upper part of the femur is either malformed or missing, the difference in the length of Julieta’s legs was significant. From the age 4, crutches became her constant companion.

But while Julieta’s movement was limited, her imagination never was. She discovered a love for art.

“At an early age she was painting detailed natural and abstract designs,” Tania said. “It surprised me greatly.”

As Julieta grew, so did her talent. Her art became a place she could go without limitation. Progressing from pencils and paint to digital art eventually earned her the opportunity to represent her country in an international digital art competition, where her work was judged alongside the entries of adult artists from around the world.

Yet no amount of artistic success could replace the dream Julieta had carried since childhood. Every new accomplishment still ended the same – with her crutches beside her.

Wanting more for her daughter, Tania continued searching for specialized medical care. Then, she met a Shriner who told her about Shriners Children’s and gave the family something they had been searching for: hope that Julieta’s dream was within reach.

In February 2026, Julieta and her mother traveled to Shriners Children’s Greenville, where a multidisciplinary team of pediatric orthopedic specialists, prosthetists and physical therapists developed a personalized treatment plan centered on her needs.

Following an amputation of her left leg, the hospital’s Pediatric Orthotic and Prosthetic Services team created a custom-made prosthetic designed just for her.

With her new prosthetic and her care team beside her, Julieta rose to her feet. For the first time in her life, she could place both feet firmly on the ground. With that came her first steps, not with crutches, but on two feet.

“We are deeply grateful to all who have supported us through this journey,” said Tania. “And now, thanks to Shriners [Children’s], she will walk, just as we have always dreamed.”

For years, Julieta created beautiful images of the world she imagined. Today, thanks to the specialized care she received at Shriners Children’s Greenville, she is finally able to step into them.