Brain-damaged girl, 10 is now breathing unaided five years after doctors tried to turn off her life support
A BRAIN-DAMAGED girl whose parents had to fight for her right to live is breathing without a ventilator, can sit up, and enjoys watching cartoons five years after doctors tried to turn off her life support.
Tafida Raqeeb was just five when she suffered a bleed on the brain and doctors told her family that she had just days left to live.
In June she celebrated her 10th birthday surrounded by her family in Italy where she is receiving treatment her mum Shelina Begum fought hard for her to receive.
Pictures from the party show a cake with pictures of Tafida on top and peach balloons for the celebration in the rehabilitation centre where she is being treated.
Shelina told The Sun her little girl is making “slow steady progress” and “will continue to improve” every day.
Speaking at an event in Westminster for The Tafida Raqeeb Foundation which supports other families of brain-damaged children, she said: “She’s breathing independently. That’s the most important aspect.
“It means a lot to me. I mean I can’t describe what I have gone through to get to where I am now.
October 15 marked five years since Tafida’s transfer to Italy on a mercy flight after a bitter legal battle with the Royal London Hospital in East London over whether to continue treatment.
Shelina, 45, said: “Five years since we took a leap of faith in the hope of giving her a chance at life, and by God’s grace, she has not only survived but also shown us the strength and resilience of her spirit.
“These past five years have not been easy, but every single day has been a testament to Tafida’s bravery and the power of love, hope, and faith.
“When we look back at the journey we’ve been on, it is impossible not to feel overwhelmed with gratitude.
“Tafida’s survival is a reminder of how precious life is, and today, we celebrate not just her life, but the love and unity that has kept us going through the darkest times.
“This journey has taught us to cherish every moment, to never lose hope, and to always believe in miracles.”
She continued: “Doctors in the UK gave Tafida no hope, advising us to let her go. But as her mother, I could not accept that my child’s life was over.
“My family and I fought, not just for her life, but for the right to continue her care elsewhere, eventually succeeding in transferring her to Italy.
“There, she has been making slow but significant progress. For the last five years, I have sacrificed everything—my career, my home in England, and moments with my family—to stay by her side around the clock.”
Tafida’s battle
In February 2019 five-year-old Tafida suffered catastrophic brain injuries at home after complaining of a headache.
After being rushed to hospital after she collapsed, doctors found that she had a complex abnormal tangle of blood vessels which had caused a bleed on the brain.
Her parents Shelina and Mohammed were told she had at most a fortnight to live, and said they should withdraw treatment and transfer her to palliative care.
Shelina launched a plea to allow little Tafida to keep fighting with The Sun telling our readers: “We just need to give her a chance”.
In October a judge ruled that she could be transferred out of the country for care, and she was flown to Gaslini Children’s Hospital, in Genoa, Italy where her treatment continued.