Patient Stories

Charity

It had been eight years since 30-year-old Sylvester first saw Charity, with a shawl strategically draped across her face in an effort to hide the tumour growing down from her mouth.

Aicha

Every day, Fatmata brings little Aicha with her to the market, where they sit for hours selling oranges. Due to the cataracts clouding her vision, the sweet, impish two-year-old can’t see the colourful world around her — a fact that brings her family sorrow.

Mafoudiya

When Mafoudiya was born, her mother, Mabinty, was unable to truly enjoy her child’s bright eyes or sweet smile because of the worry that consumed her. Her daughter was born with a cleft lip, and the family had little access to medical help.

Salematu

It all started with a toothache. Salematu was 24 when she first noticed the pain in her mouth. As a first-year nursing student, she knew she should go to the dentist, but she was struggling. She had just lost her husband unexpectedly, leaving her with two young daughters. Money was low, and medical costs were high.

John Borrow

John Borrow never planned on being a full-time volunteer but when he first heard about Mercy Ships in the 1990’s, he knew it was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. His long journey with Mercy Ships has taken Mr Borrow and his family from Belrose, NSW, around the world and since 2016 he has served as the Africa Mercy’s captain.

Samory

Samory never imagined that neglecting a toothache would result in a facial tumour that threatened to take away his dreams and his life. Four years after the toothache began, the once healthy 25-year-old was a shell of who he once was, as his tumour grew and his self-esteem deflated.

Mohammed

Sayoe never imagined she would be greeted with anything except joy when she gave birth to her first child. But when baby Mohammed was born with a cleft lip and palate, people accused her of witchcraft, saying that her baby’s deformity was a curse. Despite being encouraged to abandon Mohammed, who was even called a ‘devil child,’ she fought to protect him.

Pierre

“What happened to me, Mummy?” Pierre would ask, “When are you going to fix my legs?” Unsure how to answer her four-year-old son, Edwige made a promise that she would do everything she could to find healing for Pierre’s twisted legs. But a lack of vital nutrition from an early age meant Pierre’s bones wouldn’t support his growing body weight for long.