Health & Fitness
From Coma to a Paralympic Dream
After two rare diseases took her ability to walk, a young athlete found new strength at Joseph M. Sanzari Children's Hospital.
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At just eight years old, Melanie Mejia’s world was shattered by a rare autoimmune disease that put her in a medically induced coma and took away her ability to walk. Just as she was adjusting to her new life, a second, unrelated autoimmune condition struck. Diagnosed with juvenile dermatomyositis by pediatric rheumatologist Sivia Kerry Lapidus,M.D., this new battle threatened to steal even more of her independence.
But Melanie’s story is not one of defeat; it’s one of incredible resilience. With the dedicated support of her medical team, including pediatric physiatrist Michelle Sirak, M.D., at Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital at Hackensack Meridian University Medical Center, Melanie didn’t just learn to adapt—she learned to thrive.
Discover how a hesitant first visit to an adaptive sports club ignited a fire within her, transforming her from a girl facing immense challenges into a decorated athlete in swimming, archery, and track and field. Today, with dozens of medals hanging on her wall, Melanie has her eyes set on the Paralympics, proving her own powerful words: “Doing these sports is like saying, ‘I’m not disabled.’ I’m able to do things, just in a different way.”
Click to read the full, inspiring story of how Melanie Mejia turned devastating diagnoses into a future filled with freedom, strength, and limitless possibility.
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