An uncorrected cleft palate makes it difficult, if not impossible, for a baby to nurse or drink from a bottle. Even benign facial tumors can grow so large that the capacity for an adult to perform simple daily tasks is impossible. Left untreated, tumors, goiters, and hernias can grow to the point of being life-threatening as an individual struggles to breathe or eat.

In much of Africa, where there is little or no access to healthcare services and specialized surgeries to heal these conditions, Mercy Ships works to fill the gap. Our teams identify patients that we can help and begin the process of transforming lives with free and safe life-changing surgeries.