It still feels remarkable that this connection was ever made, and that this road forward seems doable. In one of our text exchanges with the support group, it was noted that it indeed does take a village. It’s complicated enough in Malawi when the issue is straight-forward - ie, requiring just one surgery to resolve an issue. And it takes so much extra dedication by so many talented and committed people to be able to stay on track for a multiple-years-long surgical and healing journey as is required for Mphatso. I’m amazed and grateful for all the people and resources that have come together!
Read moreHow I Became a Nurse -Christina Mtonga
When I was less than 10 years old, I decided I wanted to become a nurse because the nurses had nice houses with electricity and good locations. I was raised by her father and stepmother since my parents separated long before I remember. I experienced many hardships because my stepmother did not care for me. On school holidays, I had to walk on foot all the way home and often went without basic things like sugar and soap. Despite the hardships, I always took position #1 in my class. I overcame the hardships and became a nurse. Now I am proud to provide surgical care to patients in partnership with AHA.
Read morePatient Spotlight: Four-year-old Carolyn
Four-year-old Carolyn, rode with her mother to the nearest health center when a large cyst on the back of her leg began making it difficult to walk. There was no equipment or materials to do the operation at the health center. so…
Read morePatient Spotlight: Judith
Judith is a farmer at Ndaula who lives in a mud-brick house with a grass roof. She owns a bicycle and one chicken. Her home is 40 minutes from the nearest health center and also 40 minutes from the nearest source of electricity, which is a barber shop near her community. She collects water from a nearby borehole for use at home. Ndaula is located near Dzalanyama Forest Reserve on the Mozambique border with Malawi, which is a long distance on difficult roads from any of the referral centers.
Read morePatient Spotlight: Charity
On the outside, Liznet’s goiter and Charity’s growth looked very similar, so the women believed that Charity’s condition could be treated as Liznet’s was. When surgeons examined Charity, however, they found that the growth on her neck was actually a tumor on the inside of her throat, not a goiter. Doctors did a biopsy on the tumor, and unfortunately the results came back cancerous. Charity was told there was nothing more they could do for her, and she continued to experience intense suffering from the continuously narrowing passageway of her throat.
We refused to give up that easily.
Read moreOctober 2021 Surgical Camp
Thanks in large part to AHA’s presence over the last few years, Kabudula staff are now comfortable handling minor procedures on their own, so these can be done more regularly at the facility with increased material support.
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