Thirteen-year-old Afsheen Gul from Pakistan has faced more challenges than most kids her age. But thanks to a generous doctor who stepped in to help—free of charge—she’s now getting a second chance at life.

Afsheen was born healthy, but when she was just 10 months old, she fell from her sister’s arms, leaving her neck bent at a severe 90-degree angle. That single accident changed everything.

For the next 12 years, Afsheen was mostly confined to her home. She couldn’t walk, talk, or even sit up without help. Her parents tried everything, but her condition only worsened. Eventually, doctors diagnosed her with a rare spinal condition called atlantoaxial rotatory dislocation and cerebral palsy, which further delayed her development. “She couldn’t eat or speak. We had to do everything for her,” said her mother, Jamilan Bibi.

In 2018, doctors at a major hospital in Karachi told Afsheen’s family that surgery might help—but it came with just a 50% chance of survival. With no support from local officials and little money for treatment, her parents brought her home, devastated.

Then in 2019, British journalist Alexandria Thomas shared Afsheen’s story with the world. With the help of a child welfare organization, the family secured a medical visa and traveled to India for treatment. That’s when they connected with Dr. Rajagopalan Krishnan, a leading spine surgeon at Apollo Hospital in Delhi. After hearing her story, Dr. Krishnan offered to do the surgery at no cost.

It wasn’t an easy decision. “The doctor told us her heart or lungs might stop during surgery,” Afsheen’s brother, Yaqoob Qumbar, recalled. But Dr. Krishnan gave them hope, showing more compassion than any other doctor they’d met.

Afsheen underwent two preparatory surgeries before the main procedure—a six-hour operation to fuse her skull to her spine using rods and screws. Without it, Dr. Krishnan said, she wouldn’t have survived much longer.

Now, just months later, Afsheen is walking, talking, and even eating on her own. “She’s still a bit behind other kids and people can be harsh,” her brother admitted, “but she’s getting stronger every day.”

Dr. Krishnan calls it a one-of-a-kind case and still checks in with Afsheen every week via Skype. “She’s healing well, and we’re hopeful she’ll go to school soon,” said her brother. “The doctor saved her life. He’s an angel to us.”