Sagota was born into a world filled with challenges. Doctors diagnosed her with Vater Syndrome, a combination of several birth defects that frequently occur together and affect multiple areas of the body. Sagota’s physical and genetic anomalies required more than 12 surgeries before she reached her sixth birthday!

From the beginning, Sagota demonstrated a mighty determination to overcome her handicaps. Adapting to a leg prosthesis was especially challenging. Always an energetic child, Sagota had no difficulty crawling easily with one leg and then jumping around on that one leg as she slowly began to reach childhood milestones. Not only did she have to adapt to using the prosthesis, she required additional surgeries to correct her spine to match it to her prosthetic leg. It was a long, arduous process, demanding a great deal of patience from this little girl so accustomed to being
“on the go.”

Sagota’s ECHO Care Coordinator and Health Educator are both constantly astounded at her stamina and the drive she displays on a daily basis. With the support of her devoted family and CDTC physicians and specialists, Sagota maintains a happy attitude, never letting her impairments take away the joy in her life. She is a playful sister to her siblings, never misses activities in school or with her many friends.

Sagota’s strength and spirit make her an amazing CDTC HERO. We are so very proud of her accomplishments and foresee a remarkable future for this young lady!