January 8, 2014

Overcoming Barriers: Afghan girl with Cerebral Palsy celebrates PR in Canada

Posted by admin - Bellissimo Law Group PC

Tahera Hussain Karimi is a teenage girl in Regina Saskatchewan receiving nationwide media attention this week as one of Canada’s most high profile immigration stories.  Tahera travelled to Canada 6 years ago to receive surgery that would drastically improve her quality of life.  She is diagnosed with cerebral palsy and required surgery to help her be able to walk.  Growing up in Afghanistan, her condition meant that she was never allowed to attend school.

A life’s aspiration of Tahera’s has been to attend school, and eventually go on to university and learn a profession. Now that she has been granted Permanent Resident status within Canada, she can go on to do both of those things.

Tahera’s aunt Zahra Karimi and family in Regina Sasketchewan are Afghan refugees who came to Canada in 2008.  It was through the generosity of a local surgeon and the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region, that Tahera was able to undergo her surgery free of charge.  Her recovery exceeded expectations and a special bursary from the Saskatchewan Education Ministry allowed her to finally attend high school.  Tahera’s medical condition posed a major hurdle for the Karimi family with Canadian immigration officials during her PR application process.  Included in her PR application were numerous positive letters of support and testimonials from community members, teachers and members of the Saskatchewan provincial government. She became a case people in her community rallied around.

Tahera Hussain Karimi is now working to raise funds to help assist other refugees arriving in Saskatchewan. For her efforts she has received thanks from Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall, Social Services Minister June Draude and Education Minister Russ Marchuk for being an inspirational young woman and a role model to all.

Saskatchewan is one of 5 provinces and 3 territories in Canada where, since June 2012 the federal government has not provided full healthcare coverage to all refugee claimants.

For more information on Medical Inadmissibility please see our section on medical cases.

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