The last time Catherine Conteh saw the deeply familiar smile in front of her in Freetown, it was under dramatically different circumstances. Fresh off the plane from Australia on Sunday, Catherine arrived on the dock beside the Global Mercy™ where she was greeted by...
There was much excitement on board the Global Mercy™ recently as a young woman named Hawa climbed up the gangway. Hawa, an aspiring nurse from Sierra Leone, had never set foot on this brand-new hospital ship. But she has walked this swaying path over the water...
Assiatou leaned forward gingerly, pressing her foot to the ground — heel first, then the sole, until even her toes were flat on the hospital floor. She shuffled forward carefully before a smile broke out across her face. It was only a tiny movement, but for the...
Imagine carrying the weight of a four kilogram tumour on the side of your face for over 25 years. Living a life of ridicule and shame. This is what happened to Valerie, as she lived everyday as if it was her last. Her heart broke even more when she discovered that a...
At fifteen years of age, Nana was given in marriage and pregnancy soon followed. After counting nine full moons, Nana prepared herself to give birth but the baby did not come. After three days of medical care in a local hospital, the now lifeless baby was delivered....
Despite working in the medical field in Cameroon for over 17 years, Fanta was too frightened to seek treatment for a tumour under her right arm. For nearly 10 years, she learned to strategically hide the tumour under draped shawls while she worked, refusing to have it...