Dubai: Wahab Davis had set out to camp in a wadi in Oman on July 27, 2009 when he lost control of his car, which tumbled down a steep cliff.
Miraculously, all four passengers survived - but Davis broke his spinal cord. He has been lying in Dubai's Rashid Hospital ever since, his limbs paralysed.
But on Wednesday the 23-year-old Pakistani youth was a happy man. Reason: On May 8 he will leave for India for treatment, thanks to a Dubai-based NGO, Valley of Love (VoL).
First trip
"It's my first trip to India. I always wished to go there," said Davis, who hails from a small town near Lahore in Pakistan. He worked as a sales executive with an interiors firm at Umm Al Quwain before the accident grounded him. Emela Mujic Skikic, Rehabilitation Specialist and Senior Registrar at Rashid Hospital, said Davis had no movement in his lower limbs although his upper limbs were gradually responding to treatment. But with infrastructure for long-term rehab care still being developed in the UAE, Davis had to continue his physiotherapy treatment elsewhere. And Pakistan was not an option. "There is only one hospital in Lahore which has the facilities to treat spinal cord injuries, but it is too expensive," said Davis, the eldest of three siblings. "My mother works as a nurse and my father is a retired teacher," he added.
Strong willed
But his spirit is indomitable. He not only survived a major operation in which metal plates were inserted to replace his c5 and c6 vertebrae, but also willed himself to work on his company laptop when he came out of a coma after 20 days.
"He can be independent as he is good with the computer and can talk well," said Emela.
Seeing promise in his recovery, VoL took it upon itself to get Davis a chance to be treated at a spinal injury treatment centre in Delhi.
"We also applied for his visa to India," said VoL Vice-President Joseph Bobby. The Indian Consulate confirmed Davis will get the visa on May 6.
While a VoL volunteer will be accompanying Davis to Delhi, his mother and brother will be coming directly from Lahore, said Bobby. There is one hitch though: a paucity of funds.
VoL, which has been raising money for him, has managed Dh5,000 so far while his company is buying him his air ticket. "But the Delhi hospital will charge around Rs100,000 (about Dh8,400) a month for treatment over the next four-five months," said Bobby.
He was thankful to Rashid Hospital for keeping Davis free of charge for this long. Davis had been charged only for the operation and the initial physio-therapy which had come up to Dh30,000, he said.
Those wishing to help davis can call VoL on 055-337 0044
