Brave ballerina: Young amputee who beat cancer inspires millions around the world
An ice-skating fall led to 9-year-old Gabi Shull being told terrible news by doctors that she had bone cancer in her right leg.
The incredibly active child and keen dancer, faced the prospect of never being able to walk again, as a partial leg amputation was inevitable.
In June 2011, six months after her accident, Gabi underwent the surgery that ‘changed her life’ forever.
Doctors performed a radical operation known as rotationplasty, which involves taking her healthy ankle and rotating it to become her new knee joint.
In November 2011 she finished chemotherapy, and has been cancer-free ever since.
Fast-forward five years and 14-year-old Gabi is nothing short of inspirational.
Thanks to skilled doctors and nurses, she was able to walk and dance again with the help of a prosthetic leg.
“Before my diagnosis I was a competitive dancer and that is what motivated me to learn to walk again,” she wrote on a Facebook post.
Three weeks ago the brave ballerina filmed a video showing the results of the operation and how she puts on her prosthesis.
In just three days she had over 20 million views and a growing legion of adoring fans from around.
“She's phenomenal! What a beautiful brave girl” one woman wrote.
“What an inspirational and courageous girl!” another said.
This year will see the strong cancer survivor mark her fifth anniversary of being cancer-free.
News break – March 12
