Not just a pretty face

The first time I heard the name Sarah Almagro was from Ronnie Waugh of Walking Football Spain when I interviewed him back in October 2019.  Ronnie talked of Sarah and what happened to her and that a vast amount of money was needed to help her.
I could hardly believe my ears; it seemed too surreal to be true.

Sarah’s story started in July 2018 when she was suddenly taken ill with extreme stomach pains, headaches and nausea.  The doctors didn’t realise at first that what Sarah had was not a stomach bug; she had septicaemia. I had never heard of it and was stunned to know that bacteria can get into the bloodstream and start poisoning the entire body, causing vital organs to shut down. However, apparently this is the world’s biggest killer next to cancer.

Sarah was put into an induced coma for ten days due to the excruciating pain: she was going into septic shock.

Sarah is now twenty and studying law; she wants to be a tax inspector of all things!  Undoubtedly she will be whatever she wants to be as although faced with the unimaginable of having both her hands and legs amputated as a result of her infection, she still has many plans, goals and unfaltering objectives.

Just by chatting with her for a few minutes, you can tell that Sarah is a perfectionist by nature and holds herself to very high standards.   She says that when she heard that most people die of this disease she realised how lucky she was just to be alive; she has maintained that fortitude.  She shows off her prosthetic hands which she mastered the use of in just three short weeks with pride and agility.  In November last year, she had a kidney transplant, thanks to dad’s compatibility which means she no longer has to endure dialysis twenty hours a week.  Things are looking up.

When asked what she would say to the rest of us who complain for no real motive in comparison to what she’s going through she philosophically replied that each person’s plight is important to them; she continues to talk of those less fortunate than her like those who can’t see or hear.

The Walking Football club has been, apart from her devoted family, amongst her most avid and active supporters, raising funds and awareness to help Sarah get her new bionic hands.

I invite you all to please watch the full interview with Sarah from our website or Facebook page @MarbellaNow #MN260 – Monday 27.04.2020; I think you’ll be equally impressed.

I can’t wait to chat again with Sarah; there’s so much more to share but in the meanwhile, I just want to thank you, Sarah, for proving that it’s not what happens that really matters, only how we face it; and Sarah you couldn’t be putting on a braver, or prettier face and we all couldn’t be more proud.