Bay Area Doctors Donate Prosthetic Arms to Egyptian Woman

An Egyptian woman in a horrible accident is now able to do simple things again, like play with her daughter and open doors, thanks to the generosity of Bay Area doctors.

In 2012, Gehan Guirguis was on a bus with her family in Cairo when the driver sped down a dangerous road and crashed. One of her daughters died, and Guirguis was left with two crushed arms and a major skull injury.

This month, doctors at Stanford and nearby communities donated two prosthetic arms and have been teaching Guirguis how to use them.

They say Guirguis’s case is especially rewarding because of her remarkable spirit, which comes from her deep faith in her family and God.

“My husband is a great man,” Guirguis said through a translator. “Right from the beginning, he was taking care of me, dressing the wound, bathing me, feeding me, constantly encouraging me, so that we really indeed become one together.”

Her occupational therapist says Guirguis is making such good progress she might even be able to drive in the future.

For now, Guirguis is finding joy in the little things, like being able to comb her daughter’s hair.

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