by Sue | May 8, 2025 | Medical, Stories, Volunteers
A Childhood Tragedy Sparks a Lifelong Mission Betty Koker’s journey into nursing began with a profound personal loss. “I lost my mum… she died after giving birth,” Betty said, her voice steady. “According to my dad, it was due to the negligence of the nurses. From...
by Sue | May 7, 2025 | Children, Patients, Stories
Fourteen-year-old Tera lives in a fishing village on the outskirts of Manakara, in southeast Madagascar. In his close-knit community, homes are built from parts of the traveller’s tree – branches form the walls, the trunk is used for flooring, and leaves make up the...
by Sue | May 6, 2025 | Media Releases, Stories
SAVANNAH, GEORGIA, MAY 6, 2025: A surgeon who spent nearly four decades volunteering to provide free, life-changing surgical care to underserved populations while living on a Mercy Ships hospital ship has been honored with a prestigious award. Dr. Gary Parker, 72, has...
by Sue | Apr 14, 2025 | Blogs, Medical, Stories, Volunteers
From Melbourne to Mercy Ships: A Nurse’s Journey Born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, Ayla always had an adventurous spirit and a passion for helping others. With 42 countries visited, her journey as a nurse took a transformative turn when she joined Mercy Ships—a...
by Sue | Apr 9, 2025 | Men, Patients, Stories
Living with a Cleft Lip in Madagascar For 22 years, Joseph lived with a cleft lip — a condition that left him feeling isolated and overlooked. In his small village in Madagascar, medical care was scarce, and access to surgery was simply out of reach. “I always feel...
by Sue | Apr 7, 2025 | Blogs, Stories
As 22-year-old farmer Joseph neared the end of a 12-hour walk towards the Africa Mercy®, docked in Madagascar’s port city of Toamasina, he was reminded of the many years of social isolation he had suffered due to his cleft lip. “If I had friends, I...
by Sue | Apr 3, 2025 | Children, Patients, Stories
In one of Madagascar’s largest rice-producing regions, 9-year-old Annica dreams of one day becoming a teacher. She loves basketball and thrives in subjects like Mathematics, Geography, and French, and she At home, she’s the life of the party, playing lively games with...
by Sue | Mar 30, 2025 | Blogs, Stories
Through its Education, Training, and Advocacy (ETA) programs, Mercy Ships is helping build skills among emerging and trained professionals committed to enhancing surgical care in Sierra Leone. In a landmark moment for Sierra Leone’s healthcare system, the country’s...
by Sue | Mar 25, 2025 | Blogs, Stories, Volunteers
Serving with Mercy Ships is more than just a job; it’s a life-changing journey that transforms not only the lives of patients, but also the volunteers and day crew who dedicate themselves to this mission. For Josoa Mino, a young man from Madagascar, joining Mercy...
by Sue | Mar 19, 2025 | Children, Patients, Stories
Sixteen-year-old Rosalinda knows how quickly life can change. She was only 10 years old when she lost her mother. And while grief weighed heavily on her, there was no time to dwell on it or stop. Life moved forward and she had to keep up. Two years later, there was...
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