A two-year-old girl from Madagascar has received free life-changing surgery after a benign tumour weighing 280g was removed by the Christian international healthcare charity, Mercy Ships.
Without the timely surgery, the tumour would have continued to grow, putting pressure on her neck and head.
“The mass was causing her ear to be deformed,” explains Mercy Ships volunteer surgeon, Manjit Dhillon, a Consultant Surgeon in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. “It was quite a weight so she would posture her head to the left side and over time, as the mass would have grown, she would have struggled to keep her head upright because of the weight.”
When Armella was born, her parents noticed a tangerine-sized lump behind her ear. Although it didn’t cause her pain, it continued to grow steadily.
“When people met her, they stared at her,” explains Caessah, Armella’s mum. “Children also stared at her. She might get rejected a lot when she grew up. I just wanted my child to be ok. This was the only thing that mattered.”
Armella’s parents were desperate for answers. But the family couldn’t afford to see a doctor – let alone pay for surgery. They heard of one place in the capital city of Madagascar that could help. But this hospital was hundreds of miles away from home, and far beyond reach.
Madagascar has a population of more than 28 million people yet 75 per cent live below the poverty line. With a limited surgical workforce, only 20 per cent of the population can access surgical services within two hours, and 95 per cent of patients would face financial ruin if they required surgery.
Despite the statistics weighing against her, Caessah never gave up hope. She prayed that one day Armella could get surgery.
Her prayers were answered when the Africa Mercy sailed to Madagascar. Equipped with five operating theatres, the floating hospital has state-of-the-art medical facilities and a team of specialist volunteer crew.
To Caessah’s overwhelming gratitude, Armella was booked in for free surgery.
“The surgery only took a few hours,” explains Manjit, who uses her annual leave to volunteer with Mercy Ships. “But the outcome is life-changing for Armella. Without this surgery, she would have struggled to hold her head up and would have lived on the fringes of society. Now she can enjoy going to school without getting picked on. She’s saved from a lifetime of injustice.”
After the surgery, Caessah was delighted to be reunited with her daughter and thankful to see her safe and well.
“Mercy Ships is a blessing, a light and a rescue for me and my child,” says Caessah. “When she had that condition, I suffered with her. When she recovered, I recovered too.”
The pair remained on the ship until Armella’s wound was healed, giving the crew volunteers plenty of time to get to know Armella’s two-year-old personality.
“After surgery, I remember seeing her on the ward rounds,” laughs Manjit. “She was happily sitting on the floor playing and colouring in. We had to interrupt her to check her wound and I remember her not being happy about that, because her colouring was very important.”
After making a full recovery and leaving the hospital ship, Armella and Caessah returned home. They were welcomed back by their community with surprise and delight as they saw her tumour had been removed.
Now back home, Armella can play happily with other children, looking forward to years of healthy life ahead and the freedom to go to school.
If it wasn’t for her surgery, her dad dreads to think what could have happened. “She would have been bullied and mocked by other kids. She would have had a difficult time in school,” he says.
Over 7,500 life-changing surgical procedures have taken place on the Africa Mercy during its time in Madagascar, restoring hope and a future for women, men and children who have been robbed of years of healthy life for conditions that are easily treatable.
To find out more about Mercy Ships, visit mercyships.org.uk
