Hi, my name’s Daria. I’m 23 years old Ukrainian girl. I love smiling,
reading books, learning new things, traveling all around the world
and universe. In fact, I’m an ordinary girl and I have a gigantic
dream-to become a translator and help people understand each other and
live in peace and harmony. And I strongly hope to achieve my goals.
But there is one thing that I will never be able to do- I’ll never be
able use my legs and hands the way people of my age do…

I am the first and very beloved child of my amazing parents. They are
my great supporters. My parents were looking forward to having a baby
but the day of my birth turned into a nightmare for them. The first
words my mom heard from the doctors were “Your daughter has no eyes
and you should better leave her at the nursing home for disabled
people, as  she’s like a vegetable and you shouldn’t sacrifice  your
life because of such a child”…You can only imagine my mom’s horror
after such terrible statements. Although she was lost for words but in
her heart she knew that she would never leave her daughter…Some hours
later it turned out that I did have normal eyes but there was
something wrong with my legs and arms. I was diagnosed with a very
rare illness known as ‘arthrogryposis’. That means that my arms,
fingers and legs are severely affected. My hips and arms are
dislocated so I can’t unbend my knees and even stand straight. My
fingers are not flexible and can’t bend at all and I can’t stretch my
arms. Additionally I’ve got clubbed feet. According to the doctors my
case was a real can of worms! J I mean the disability I was born with
is not curable…But my parents never lost hope that with some surgeries
I’d have a chance to straighten my legs and arms. So, I had to undergo
many painful surgeries and therapies. I must admit some of the
massages really did a miracle to me –the flexibility of my hands did
improved but unfortunately all these medical experiments just left
scares on my legs and soul…

Till the age of three I was examined and treated by several different
hospitals and God knows what my dear mom had to go through to have
this right to give me some treatment (She had to look after other
children in the hospital, so I could be treated free of charge). After
each surgery I had new plasters on my legs which prevented me from
movement and hurt me terribly…And one day when we came back home from
the hospital and after my non-stopping weeping because of the pain
caused by the plasters my mom couldn’t stand it anymore and removed
them from me forever….

Doctors predicted me to be able for nothing but God had other plans
for me….Little by little while growing I learnt to use my legs in my
own way- now I can move quite successfully –even though it might look
very funny for you-I walk with my bent knees, clubbed feet and I’d
call it ‘walking in a squat position’. I can’t stand and walk like
that for a long time but at least such self-made skill allows me to
feel myself more independent, moving around my house and yard. My
dislocated joints prevented my body from a normal growth; therefore
I’m a very tiny and short girl…J  I’m a bit taller than one meter. At
first glance my fingers are unable to do anything-but they can do
perfectly everything for me- I dress myself, pick up all the things,
carry my books, write with a pen, draw pictures and typing here for
you this message….My parents have always taught me to focus on the
abilities I’ve got instead of feeling pity for myself. My disability
hasn’t built a wall for me-I’ve always been surrounded by many good
and true friends who always stand by me and never let me feel
‘different’. Sometimes they confess that at the beginning they were
rather confused with my ‘being different’ but just a few moments after
talking to me-they never saw my disability. To be honest, I hate the
word ‘disabled’ as I don’t consider myself to be so!  When I go
outside with my wheelchair I don’t bother myself with a thought that
other people might stare at me and the way they accept me….I learnt
not to notice those starring eyes and silly remarks forwarding my
way….I accept myself the way God made me and even though there are
some moments when I do feel myself frustrated I am grateful to Him for
creating me this way….

I received my school education at home because there were no special
facilities for me at our local village school. So, school teachers
came to me every day during 11 years and did their very best to make
an educated lady out of me. So, after finishing my school and being
awarded a gold medal for good achievements in studies, I made up my
mind to enter the university…

Just some years before I got my school diploma, I was blessed with a
friend who changed my life forever-the Peace Corps volunteer Joel
Wheeler who voluntarily worked as a teacher of the English language in
our local school.  He was introduced to my family and lived with us
for several months. For two years he had lived in our village, he’s
became not just a friend for me, but a great teacher as well as a
member of my family. He inspired me  to study English (before his
arriving at my life I barely could say some English phrases like ‘how
are you?’) and realize my vocation- to become a translator…Nowadays I
can’t imagine my life without languages as they open the world for me
as well as help me find many friends all around the world. Nowadays
I’m a student of the Private Classic University and study translation.
I can speak English and German. I’ve already obtained my Bachelor’s
degree and these days I’m preparing to start my final year of studies
and get my Master’s degree. I’m a part-time student, what means I
attend my university only once a week (usually every Saturday) and
every day during my exam periods (around three weeks twice a year).
And even though there is no lift and hundreds of endless stairs, my
mom assists me so much to get around there….She simply carries me in
her arms along the long staircases, sometimes we have to climb up to
the 6th floor…But in spite of all these challenges I have to face
every single day-I am very determined student and optimistic person. I
prefer to make my obstacles my opportunities.  My life motto is ‘hope
without any hope’….Even it might seem like life treats me cruelly
sometimes, I’m open for people around and my greatest dream is to
change this world for better. I know I can’t make myself tall, I will
never be able to dance, to wear high heels and run but I also know
that I’m able to make difference in some peoples’ minds…Real happiness
is not measured by your heights or  looks but how much happy you make
feel people around you. And even if there is a thunderstorm in your
life sometimes, don’t forget that there is always the sun behind the
dark clouds…