Cora Ruben is 2 years old and has hands that have tripled in size.
She was born with lymphedema, a genetic disorder that causes lymphatic fluid to build up in the body. Her dad, Brett, explains it this way: what draws the most attention are her hands, but the swelling is also in her abdomen, legs, and feet. Doctors initially thought the swelling was a normal effect of childbirth and would go away on its own. It was the pediatrician who first used the word lymphedema.
Massages, bandages, and compression: nothing worked. When Kasey and Brett, from Minnesota, felt there were no options left, a specialist told them about Professor Etelka Földi’s clinic in Germany. That’s where things turned around: only 20% of her hands consisted of lymphatic fluid. The other 80% was fat, making compression impossible.
The proposed solution was liposuction. And there are already signs of progress: Cora can grip things better and can wear regular-sized sleeves. The expert says that one day she will be a happy woman.