Today I decided to join two colleagues on a trip to Waterloo, about an hour drive from the Center. We have someone visiting from Switzerland who sponsors a patient I referred to the Anastasis in 2005 for surgery. He wanted to see how she was doing and talk to the family about her future. In October 2005 a 7 year old girl came to the outpatient clinic with a grotesque tumor growing in/out of her mouth; desperate for help. Fortunately I was able to send her to the ship in Liberia for screening, and a month later she had surgery onboard. After a three hour surgery, the non-malignant tumor was removed. When Hawa came back to the clinic in December to visit, I was amazed to see the difference. Not only her appearance was changed but her life had been changed. No longer an outcast; she can go to school again and play with her friends.
Unfortunately over the past year this little girl has been orphaned, as both her mother and very recently her father died. Yet, she is full of smiles. Her life had been changed forever. Her future looks bright…
More info on Hawa (third story from right) can be found at: http://www.mercyglobal.com/stories_post.htm
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