Saving Aysha Cedars-Sinai Skip to main content Close Select your preferred language English عربى 简体中文 繁體中文 فارسي עִברִית 日本語 한국어 Русский Español Tagalog Menu Close Call 1-800-CEDARS-1 toggle search form Close Los Angeles, 24 February 2020 06:00 AM America/Los_Angeles Saving Aysha Cedars-Sinai Surgeon Restores Hand Movement for a Girl Severely Injured in Syrian Bomb Blast download Your browser does not support HTML5 video. Saving Aysha One night nearly three years ago, a barrel bomb exploded outside Aysha Al Saloom's home in northern Syria, as the 5-year-old girl lay sleeping in her bed. The blast left Aysha severely burned and disfigured, turning her hands into stiff balls of flesh and unable to hold a crayon or feed herself. Seeking medical care and a better life for her daughter, Aysha's mother, Hana Al Saloom, fled the violence of their native Idlib province, one of the last major rebel strongholds in Syria's civil war. Over the next three years, mother and daughter made their way to Turkey, eventually landing in Los Angeles. The trip and Aysha's medical treatment were made possible by the Burnt Children Relief Foundation which sponsored them. Aysha endured 20 surgeries to repair her broken and scarred body, but her hands remained lifeless. Until now. David Kulber, M.D., director of Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery at Cedars-Sinai, rebuilt Aysha's hands through multiple surgeries, allowing the precocious 8-year-old to be able to return to doing the things she loves: writing, drawing and dancing. Dr. Kulber is one part of an international effort to save Aysha. The Children's Burn Foundation, the Turkish Consulate in Los Angeles, and several humanitarian organizations continue to come together to give Aysha a second chance. Since arriving in America, Aysha has taught herself English by watching Saturday cartoons and joking with her healthcare providers. She has once again become the active, perky girl she was in Syria before her injury. "The inquisitive mind, positive attitude and joy with which this little girl approaches life, are inspiring," Kulber said. "She has turned a terrible tragedy into a positive and makes you realize that there is always hope." Related Stories RSS feed - Related Stories (opens in new window) View all headlines - Related Stories Cancer Patient Sails Again September 19, 2022 06:00 AM America/Los_Angeles Jeannea Jordan, who turns 80 in October, is a local sailing pioneer who began racing and cruising her 30-foot sailboat 25 years ago when few women were part of the sport. When a tumor on her spine … Read more Second Opinions and a Heroic Mother Lead to Second Chances at Life August 11, 2022 07:00 AM America/Los_Angeles Adelynn Garza knows a thing or two about beating the odds.Adelynn was born three months early, weighing just 2 pounds, 8 ounces, and was immediately diagnosed with severe cerebral palsy, a … Read more Cedars-Sinai Experts Lift a Sinking Brain July 18, 2022 06:05 AM America/Los_Angeles Russell Secker, now 67, was in Lake Tahoe in 2016 to run a series of ultra-distance races with his wife, Claire. The two had completed hundreds of marathons and races totaling thousands of miles. But … Read more Show previous items Show next items Contact the Media Team Email: [email protected] Contact Melissa Vizcarra Melissa.Vizcarra@cshs.org Search Our Newsroom Share this release Saving Aysha Share on: Twitter Share on: Facebook Share on: LinkedIn Social media Visit our Facebook page (opens in new window) Follow us on Twitter (opens in new window) Visit our Youtube profile (opens in new window) (opens in new window) Latest news 07 Oct 2022 - HealthDay: Black Women Less Likely to Get Laparoscopic Fibroid Surgeries 07 Oct 2022 - Faculty Publications: Sept. 29-Oct. 6 07 Oct 2022 - Fine-Tuning Organ-Chip Technology 06 Oct 2022 - KCRW: Want New Omicron Booster? Wait at Least 2 Months After Last Shot 05 Oct 2022 - Cedars-Sinai Schedules Free Flu Vaccine Clinics 04 Oct 2022 - Cedars-Sinai Showcases Hispanic and Latinx Art Newsroom Home