Anaya's Story

Feb 17, 2026

Anaya's Story – Shriners Children's Treatments Allowed Her to Go to School

Anaya first came to Shriners Children's Chicago from her home country of Pakistan, three years ago for multiple orthopedic surgeries on her legs. She was born with osteogenesis imperfecta, a brittle bone disease, which caused 8 fractures at birth. Since those surgeries in 2023, at the age of 9, she's been able to sit up and go to school for the first time. Now in 2026, she and her family returned to Shriners for Halo gravity traction treatment and spinal fusion surgery to help her scoliosis.

View Transcript

Speaker 1:

Hi, honey.

Anaya, Patient with Osteogenesis Imperfecta:

Hello.

Speaker 3:

This is Anaya.

Anaya, Patient with Osteogenesis Imperfecta:

I am 11, turning 12 October 15th.

Speaker 3:

Her journey is a patient one that's led her to Shriners Children's Chicago.

[text on screen: My experience with Shriners has been amazing.]

Anaya, Patient with Osteogenesis Imperfecta:

My experience with Shriners has been amazing.

Speaker 3:

Her time at our hospital started in 2023. For the first nine years of her life, she wasn't able to sit up. Born with osteogenesis imperfecta, a brittle bone disease in a condition Shriners Children's has led the way for treatment and research.

[Images of an infant labeled 2016 and 2015 appear on screen]

[text on screen: She was with eight fractures in her legs and also in both arms.]

Speaker 4:

She was with eight fractures in her legs and also in both arms.

Speaker 3:

Three years ago, the family traveled from Pakistan for four rodding surgeries on Anaya's legs.

[text on screen: After the first surgery, then she became able to go to school. So it was really...]

Speaker 4:

After the first surgery, then she became able to go to school. So it was really...

Speaker 3:

Anaya, being able to go to school for the first time in her life was emotional for the whole family.

[text on screen: Your child that is disabled going to school for the first time, it will make you very happy, but also emotional at the same time. It's like something called tears of joy.]

Anaya, Patient with Osteogenesis Imperfecta:

Your child that is disabled going to school for the first time, it will make you very happy, but also emotional at the same time. It's like something called tears of joy.

Speaker 3:

She and her family are now staying at the Ronald McDonald House for a few weeks, after she came back to our hospital recently for a spinal fusion surgery due to her scoliosis.

[text on screen: We are very grateful, because here, the doctors not only treat the patient, but they also treat the children just like their own children.]

Speaker 4:

We are very grateful, because here, the doctors not only treat the patient, but they also treat the children just like their own children.

Speaker 3:

After her time at Shriners Children's, she wants to achieve her extraordinary, and become a doctor or scientist, or maybe an ambassador.

[text on screen: If you know anyone with osteogenesis imperfecta that's not getting treatment, contact Shriners. They can help in any way possible.]

Anaya, Patient with Osteogenesis Imperfecta:

If you know anyone with osteogenesis imperfecta that's not getting treatment, contact Shriners. They can help in any way possible.

Speaker 4 and Anaya together:

Bye.

[Shiners Children's Chicago logo]