Tag Archive for: Global Mercy

Inspiring Excellence: Ophthalmology Training in Sierra Leone

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Mercy Ships serves its partner nations using a doubled-edged approach to bringing hope and healing – providing free and safe surgeries to those in need on board hospital ships, and empowering local healthcare providers with effective training and mentorship leading to better care for the people they serve. Mercy Ships drives the latter through our Education, Training and Advocacy (ETA) program, which involves identifying and understanding the gaps that exist in the health landscape of the country before contributing to the bridging of such gaps using training and advocacy.

Mercy Ships and Ministry of Health Announce Next Phase of Life-Changing Surgeries in Sierra Leone

Freetown, Sierra Leone – June 18, 2024: The Sierra Leonean Ministry of Health, in collaboration with international charity Mercy Ships, have announced preparations for the upcoming phase of free life-changing surgeries and educational initiatives for the people of Sierra Leone set to begin in August.

Life of boy, 5, transformed after charity operates on his severely bowed legs

 A five-year-old soccer fan whose legs started to bow from the age of two can run and play with friends without pain after his life was transformed by a surgical charity.  Malang from Senegal had been to multiple hospitals in his home country in search of medical help without success. 

Two Hours of Surgery, A Lifetime of Transformation

“You are strong,” 5-year-old Malang’s dad, Sadio, would gently murmur to him during days of rigorous rehabilitation aboard the Global Mercy™. These words of unwavering support became a daily ritual lifting Malang up as he healed from orthopedic surgery. 

Mechanic whose toothache turned into tumor has life-changing surgery through charity Mercy Ships

A 21-year-old man is rejoicing after receiving free surgery from a charity to remove a tumor that had grown to half the size of his face.    Papa from Western Senegal was just a teenager when he noticed a small lump in his mouth. But despite hospital staff telling him it was just toothache and would heal, it continued to grow, causing him pain and partially blocking his sight. 

Reclaiming Life: Papa’s Story

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Papa has a photo of a motorcycle engine on the wall of his bedroom. At just 21 years old, he has already established himself as an exceptional mechanic, dedicating his days to mending and reviving motorbikes. “Fixing bikes has always been a passion for me since I was a child,” he says.  When a large tumor began growing from the left side of his face, not only did it put his health in jeopardy, but he feared that it would dash his prospects as a professional mechanic. “This work has a lot of physical demands; it is harder to do with a tumor in the way,” he explained. 

A Life-Altering Surgery for Hassan

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When a father passes away, a son struggles to remember as much about his dad as he can. Some of Hassan’s final memories of his father involved living with him while contracting the same condition that ultimately took his dad’s life: complications from an abdominal hernia.

The Impact of Timely Dental Care: Ibrahim’s Story

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When 13-year-old Ibrahim arrived at the Global Mercy™ in Freetown, Sierra Leone, the left side of his face was tremendously swollen, protruding well beyond the teen’s jawline. He’d developed a simple toothache when he was 9 years old, but left untreated, the problem worsened, and a big part of his jawbone became infected.

Bringing a Crew Together on the World’s Largest Civilian Hospital Ships

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It takes hundreds of volunteers to power Mercy Ships’ mission of following the model of Jesus to deliver safe and free surgeries via hospital ships. Those volunteers need to be equipped with professional skills in medicine, seafaring, accounting, cooking, and many other fields. They hail from countries around the world, and they must navigate long journeys, language barriers, visa procurement, and more logistics before they board the ship and begin serving. Through it all, the Mercy Ships People & Culture (P&C) team is beside them, offering crewmembers the support and expertise they need to succeed.

A Double Portion of Blessings for Emmanuel

Of all the birthdays he’d celebrated in his life, Emmanuel’s 43rd would turn out to be something truly extraordinary. Just a few days after turning the page to a new year of life, a new chapter began. Emmanuel was wheeled into an operating room on board the Global Mercy™ hospital ship, where he became the very first patient to receive surgery during the field service in Freetown, Sierra Leone. There, in a surgery that took just 48 minutes, Emmanuel was freed from the tumor that had been growing on his neck for 4 years.