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We started to communicate with lots of arm waving and smiles, and we soon became friends, I visited her at least twice a week for the duration of her stay, often taking her out in her wheelchair to see and experience the sights of London (well actually the bars!) In just three months, she taught herself enough English to put us all to shame, AND boss around everyone in sight!
The 'operation' was a pioneering one, to open up one of her hands, and to separate her fingers again. She also had an operation on her leg. Maggie had not walked or used her hands properly to hold anything for many years! …On Christmas Day, 1997, I was with her in the hospital when she managed to pick up a pair of scissors, and cut a piece of paper which I folded, and she cut again, before walking the entire length of the ward corridor. It was quite something, and very emotional!
As I had got to know Maggie during the first few days of her stay in London, (the first of several trips to St Thomas' for operations) I learned that she had saved all of her money for a long time before making the trip; she had wanted pocket money, and had saved the total sum of £30, but just days before leaving Zagreb, someone at the hospital had stolen it! This was not untypical of what had often happened. She had never had her own room, or anywhere to lock up her own possessions, as a consequence of which, she owned virtually nothing of her own apart from a few clothes!
As the time approached for Maggie to return home at the end of her treatment, early in 1998, we were all shocked to learn that Gorna Bistra hospital had stated their refusal to take her back! She was now 18, and would have to find somewhere else to go! How?
Through the support of people at St Thomas', along with DEBRA and I suspect Natasha's family in Zagreb, (Natasha was one of Maggie's closest friends in Zagreb - also a sufferer who tragically, left us all in 2004, but she will never ever be forgotten), eventually, a residential school for older disabled children was found in Zagreb. Initially however, Maggie had to go back to another hospital that agreed to look after her. The trauma of having to go back to somewhere unknown, by herself, when Gorna Bistra had been her 'home' almost since birth, must have been terrible!
Maggie's story has had amazing twists and turns since I have known her, but it has a fairytale ending. Natasha's mother eventually managed to persuade the Croatian Authorities that Maggie's father, who died during the fighting, was a war hero, and that because he had left a dependent daughter (actually abandoned her virtually at birth) the Authorities should provide for her. In 2000, they gave her a flat in Zagreb, and the money to go out and furnish it in whatever way she wanted. She again showed us all how special she really is, by choosing furnishings and furniture that make it probably one of the nicest and most desirable flats in Zagreb!
Vojislav meanwhile is still in Gorna Bistra Hospital, growing up in exactly the same isolated way that Maggie had. Imprisoned in a building surrounded by others who cannot communicate with him…"he must not be allowed to face the same horrors that Maggie has had to face!"
The Easter 2002 Spring Hope convoy allowed us to take virtually a tonne of baby food (kindly donated by Nutricia) to Gorna Bistra Hospital where Vojo lives. The food was very gratefully received, and of course we stopped and played with Vojo and some new toys we took for him. To our delight, we discovered a number of improvements. An Italian Aid organisation has decorated many of the rooms, with pretty picture rails to brighten the white walls, and new cots have been provided with new sheets and clothes for all the children.
The Croatian Government has provided funding to undertake badly needed roof repairs, but even more exciting was our discovery of a newly installed lift from ground to first floor. This will make a massive difference, allowing all the children to be taken downstairs and outside in the fresh air, at least occasionally during the summer, something that has been almost impossible in the past. We understand that an American Aid NGO has been involved, and provided funding for the lift, with the involvement in some way of the Croatian Prime Minister's wife, who we understand is herself an American. Imagine how pleased we were to see a picture of her with Vojo in the main reception hall. We've no doubt that she will remember Vojo, so our next step, having had no luck through either International Social Services, or the DEBRA organisation, is to contact her, Mrs Racan, to see if she has an interest and is able to help us in our quest to get Vojo out of there. We will provide an update on our progress as soon as we can.
This appeal has had a very successful outcome, Vojo has been adopted and is living with his new family in Rome. We recently received the following email from Vojo's new sister. I am sure everyone is delighted to from them and we all look forward to seeing some photographs of Vojo in his new home.
"Mr Charles Storer,
I'm Laura, Vojo's Italian sister. I can read English but I speak it not very well. Vojo is in Italywith me and my little family: my mum Elena (and now Vojo's mum too) and my sister Loredana. He is arrived on nine of December and we hope that it's for ever! He's in a good form, in spite of his serious disease. We are very happy to stay with him because he's a loveable baby.
He goes to school and is a very good student. He's happy to live with a family, in a real home. we are also happy to meet you, if you decide to come to Italy! It's good idea, for us, to meet Vojo's friends. we'll send you soon a letter and Vojo's picture.
see you soon, with love Laura, Vojo, Elena and Loredana"
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