A Doctor's Viewpoint

Leo Cheng is a Consultant Oral and Facial Reconstructive Surgeon in London and Cambridge and, for the past eight years, he has volunteered annually with Mercy Ships, including earlier this year in Sierra Leone. Leo is also a member of the Mercy Ships Speakers Network.

While on board for a couple of weeks at a time, Leo performs two or three surgeries a day, often on patients who have never received any kind of health care. His patients are children and adults suffering from large tumours, cleft lips and war wounds, and meeting them has changed their lives – and his. 

“When patients have extensive facial and neck tumours removed, they show a mixture of emotions. Each patient is given a wash-bag with a small mirror in it.  You watch patients feeling and checking and rechecking their faces again and again. They want to make sure that the big lump that has been with them for such a long time has truly gone”, Dr Leo said.

“With Mercy Ships, we provide western quality treatment for patients in the poorest countries of the world - on their door step. When you look at the Mercy Ship…Wow!”

On two of his trips, Leo has been joined by his daughter, Kat, who was inspired by her dad’s experiences with Mercy Ships.

She has volunteered in various departments on board and, on her last trip, spent her time working in the dining room, helping to feed the rest of the 450 volunteers on the ship. 

Kat also donates blood on the ship and when comparing to donating back home, said, “I don't know where that blood is going, whereas here, I can visit the patient who got my blood … not to say ‘you've got my blood' but to say ‘we have a connection.’ Isn't that wonderful!  It’s such a privilege to serve here.”