''CAN U PLEASE HELP ME REPLACE MY BROKEN PROSTHETIC LEG?''

WHO IS SHARKIRA?

Hello, my name is Sharkira Hypolite. I am eighteen years old and live on the island of Grenada.

I am reaching out to all of you today to share my story and hopefully inspire you to make a donation. Any amount, no matter how big or small, will go a long way in helping achieve a new leg. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.

When I was born, much to my parent's surprise, I came into the world with only one and a half legs. But God is so good, that despite my disabilities, my parents loved me unconditionally and did their best to provide for me.

Being a kid with a disability was tough. In school, I was bullied by my peers just because I looked different. However, there were a few kids who accepted me and were not embarrassed to be seen playing with me.

I can remember at times crying about missing a limb. It didn’t seem fair that all the other children that I knew had two perfect legs, but I didn’t. Although my parents did their best to reassure me that God created me in His image and likeness, it was still hard for me to accept. Eventually, with my parents' constant reassurance and God's help, I was able to accept myself for who I am - perfect just the way God made me - I was able to start living my life as a normal kid. I also realized that I possessed skills that some of my normal friends didn’t possess.

Up until the age of 3, I got around mostly by crawling. My parents wanted me to feel as normal as possible, so they enrolled me into pre-primary school (preschool). Not being able to walk made it hard for me to run around with the other children, but nevertheless, I tried to fit in.

I can remember my dad carrying me on his back to get me to school. At school, I would get around by either crawling or hopping.

When school was out, my dad or my uncle would be there to carry me home. But there were a few occasions when neither was available to get me, so I would hop home, having to make stops to rest because I would get tired and my good leg would hurt from all the hopping.

WHY AM I HERE TODAY?

I am here today asking for your help to purchase a new prosthetic leg. Since my birth, I was gifted two prosthetic legs. In Grenada, health insurance is not an everyday thing. So there was no one to turn to. My parents didn’t have the resources and therefore couldn’t afford to purchase the limb for me. But with prayers, and reaching out to people in our community, a guardian angel contacted my parents and arranged all expenses for me to travel to America for my first prosthetic leg.

I received my first leg at three years old, which happened all thanks to my mom. Not only did she accept me as God made me, but she would go out to different communities, searching for any source of help that she could find. With many tears and prayers, God led her to a good samaritan that allowed me to travel to America to get my first leg.

At the age of eleven, I was preparing to start secondary school, (high school) and I had outgrown my first leg. I desperately needed a new leg. I remembered many sleepless nights worrying about not being able to get around in high school. High school is already so stressful, and I didn’t think that I would have been able to handle teasing anymore. I considered myself strong, but that was a level of strength that I didn’t think that I possessed.

Low and behold, before school started, another good samaritan heard my story and reached out to my mother and offered to help. She raised the required funds and made it possible for my mother to take me to England to get fitted for my second prosthetic leg. I thank God every day that He spared me the embarrassment of having to hobble around in high school.

Now it’s seven years later, and I have outgrown the leg, but with the daily wear and tear, my leg is falling apart. The lower limb is broken, and the rubber attachment that secures it to my upper leg is stretched out and also torn in several places. My dad has tried his best to mend my leg by adding screws and duct tape to help keep it together. But it has become uncomfortable and painful for me to wear the leg anymore.

The good samaritan who sponsored this leg tried to help me again, but due to family issues, she is unable to assist me. I have reached out to some other family members for assistance, and although they are willing to help me, the cost is too much for them to handle in this difficult financial time.

HOW IS ACHIEVING A NEW LEG HELP ME?

I have made it this far with the help of kind and generous people that went out of their way to help my family and me. After graduating high school, I plan to attend college where I will pursue a degree in Fashion Design and later I would love to get a second degree in Culinary Arts.

I fell in love with designing at a young age. Since I was unable to go outside and run around with the other children in my neighbourhood, I used to go through my mother’s fabric scrap box and make clothes for my doll. My mother was impressed by my ingenuity and help me to further my skills as well as encouraging me to continue sewing.

I acquired a love for baking from my mom. My mother was not afraid of hard work, she used to bake to help raise money to provide for her family. I am now the proud big sister of two younger brothers and one-year-old twin sisters. I love helping my mother take care of my sisters, but it’s not very easy getting around without a proper leg. Now that they are learning to run, I will need both legs to keep up with them.

it would mean a lot to me to be able to walk again to help my mom take care o my sisters and do chores that's why am here today to plead with the nation to help me achieve a new leg Although I have faced and overcome many challenges, I am not ready to give up and I am very excited for the next chapter of my life. With or without a new leg, I am determined to attend college to further my education. Because these limbs are custom-made, they can be very expensive, hence the reason why I launched this GoFundMe campaign to help raise the funds I need to get a new prosthetic leg.

While working on this campaign, I realized that there are others in my situation and I am also going to find other ways to fundraise to help others who are in need. Just because I am in need, it doesn’t mean that I cannot help others. I believe that where there is a will, God will make a way.

I want to thank you in advance for your generosity and for helping me improve my life.

Will you please consider donating, and if you can’t, share this campaign with your friends and family to help me?

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THIS IS A RECENT PICTURE OF MY LEG.

MY FAMILY