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35-year-old Sulami lives in Central Java with her 90-year-old grandmother. Ten years ago, the young woman’s body began to develop a disease that causes the spine (and other areas of the body) to become inflamed.
Sulami has Ankylosing Spondylitis, a type of arthritis that causes stiffness and pain. Doctors are generally able to help patients live more easily with the disease by prescribing medication or physical therapy – but Sulami has access to neither.
Over the past ten years, Sulami has slowly deteriorated.
She relies on the assistance of a cane to walk and even lives with her 90-year-old grandmother, who helps take care of her day-to-day needs.
Sulami’s spine makes her unable to sit or bend over. When she wants to lie down, she requires the assistance of another person to help lower her onto her bed.
With proper treatment, most patients with this type of arthritis are able to remain independent people.
But because Sulami doesn’t have the means to see the right doctors, she’s forced to live with this condition for the remainder of her life.
