Alyona's life was transformed in so many ways during her eight-month stay in the U.S. and treatment at Shriners Hospital in St. Louis. In those months, this remarkable young lady had a full hip replacement; major adjustments on her meds for epilepsy (which brought her out of a severely withdrawn state), and two surgeries on her wrist and hand, giving her more movement in her arm and hand that had been adversely affected by mild cerebral palsy. Alyona truly came to life before our very eyes.