91³Ô¹ÏÍø

Watch CBS News
Local News

Teen receives life-changing care at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for rare congenital condition

By
Stephanie Stahl
Stephanie Stahl
Stephanie Stahl is an Emmy Award-winning health reporter. She can be seen daily on CBS News Philadelphia and Philly57.
Read Full Bio
Stephanie Stahl

/ CBS Philadelphia

A 17-year-old from the Middle East is being celebrated by the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for her bravery after she endured dozens of surgeries.

July is Craniofacial Awareness Month, a time dedicated to educating people about congenital differences that impact thousands of children and families every year.

Shaikha Salem was born in the United Arab Emirates with a rare congenital condition called , which causes severe facial asymmetry and breathing problems.

She's been around the world, from London to Asia, being treated, and finally ended up in Philadelphia at CHOP. 

"I've had 25 surgeries in total," Salem said, "but by the age of 11, I had already 19 surgeries."

shaikha-salem.jpg
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

The 17-year-old will be back in August for another round of surgery. Salem had major jaw and airway reconstruction at CHOP in the summer of 2024.

"Actually, I'm excited because the result is going to be like a dream come true, so I'm happy," she said.

Dr. Jesse Taylor led the surgery that makes it easier for Salem to breathe, eat and speak.

"I am really, really excited about this surgery because I feel like we have a good plan, and she's such an amazing young woman," Taylor said. "I feel lucky to be a part of her life." 

Now at age 17, Salem said she feels lucky to have found the team at CHOP that's transforming her life.

Shaikha Salem - Teen receives life-changing care at CHOP for rare congenital condition
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

"Every time I go in, even if I was, let's say, in pain for any surgery, I would go in and I'd come back with a huge smile, knowing there is an end to all of this. After every long journey, there is always going to be a happy point," she said.

Salem said after all the medical interventions and surgeries she's had, she's considering a career in nursing.

In:

© 2025 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
const link = doc.createElement('link'); link.rel = 'stylesheet'; link.href = '/fly/fly/bundles/cbsnewscontent/css/cmp-banner.min.css?v=296763317a51cab90faa73f1bb146d5c'; doc.head.appendChild(link); doc.body.innerHTML = CONSENT_MESSAGE; } else { el.insertAdjacentHTML('afterend', CONSENT_MESSAGE); } }); } function hidePrivacyMessage() { // Remove from the main document document.querySelectorAll(`.${CONSENT_MESSAGE_CLASS}`).forEach(el => el.remove()); // Remove from inside any iframes document.querySelectorAll('iframe').forEach(iframe => { const doc = iframe.contentDocument || iframe.contentWindow.document; doc.querySelectorAll(`.${CONSENT_MESSAGE_CLASS}`).forEach(el => el.remove()); }); } function activateGatedScripts() { // Handle both new format (cmp-gated-script) and old OneTrust/Ketch format (optanon-category-4) const gatedScripts = Array.from(document.querySelectorAll('script.cmp-gated-script, script.optanon-category-4')); // Activate scripts sequentially with a small delay to avoid timing issues let delay = 0; gatedScripts.forEach(function(placeholder, index) { setTimeout(function() { // Skip if already processed if (placeholder.hasAttribute('data-cmp-processed')) { return; } placeholder.setAttribute('data-cmp-processed', 'true'); const newScript = document.createElement('script'); newScript.type = 'text/javascript'; // Try new format first (data-cmp-src), then fall back to old format (data-src) const src = placeholder.getAttribute('data-cmp-src') || placeholder.getAttribute('data-src'); if (src) { newScript.src = src; } else if (placeholder.textContent) { // Inline script - just copy the content newScript.textContent = placeholder.textContent; } // Handle new format attributes (data-cmp-attrs) - for both inline and external scripts const attrs = placeholder.getAttribute('data-cmp-attrs'); if (attrs) { const tempDiv = document.createElement('div'); tempDiv.innerHTML = '
<\/div>'; const tempAttrs = tempDiv.firstChild.attributes; for (let i = 0; i < tempAttrs.length; i++) { // For external scripts, allow defer/async. For inline scripts, skip them (not valid) if (src || (tempAttrs[i].name !== 'async' && tempAttrs[i].name !== 'defer')) { newScript.setAttribute(tempAttrs[i].name, tempAttrs[i].value); } } } // Copy other attributes from old OneTrust format for (let i = 0; i < placeholder.attributes.length; i++) { const attr = placeholder.attributes[i]; // Skip attributes we've already handled or don't want to copy if (!['class', 'data-src', 'data-type', 'data-cmp-src', 'data-cmp-attrs', 'data-cmp-processed', 'type', 'async', 'defer', 'src'].includes(attr.name)) { newScript.setAttribute(attr.name, attr.value); } } placeholder.parentNode.replaceChild(newScript, placeholder); // If external script, manually trigger window.onload handlers after it loads // This handles widgets that use window.onload for initialization if (src) { newScript.addEventListener('load', function() { // If page already loaded and script set a new onload handler, trigger it if (document.readyState === 'complete' && window.onload) { const originalOnload = window.onload; window.onload = null; // Clear temporarily to prevent loops originalOnload(); // Execute the handler } }); } }, delay); delay += 500; // 500ms delay between each script to allow full loading }); } cbsoptanon.onScriptsReady(function(cmp) { cmp.ot.targetingAllowed(function(allowed) { if (!allowed) { showPrivacyMessage(); } else { activateGatedScripts(); } }); cmp.ot.awaitInitialConsent(function(consent_model) { cmp.ot.addOnConsentChangedHandler(function() { cmp.ot.targetingAllowed(function(allowed) { if (allowed) { hidePrivacyMessage(); activateGatedScripts(); } else { showPrivacyMessage(); } }); }); }); });