A gift that lasts
What matters most to you? For one mum in Madagascar, the only thing that mattered was that her child survived.
Armella was born with a large lump behind her ear. Every day, her tumour grew more and more.
Instead of wanting to play, other children just stared at her. You could see her tumour was weighing heavily on her body and spirit.
Her mum Caessah feared for her future. “She might get rejected a lot when she grows up,” she said.
Two years later, the growth was too heavy for little Armella to bear.
Her mum was desperate for answers. But the family couldn’t afford to see a doctor – let alone pay for surgery. They heard of one hospital in the capital city of Madagascar that could help. But it was hundreds of miles away from home, and the cost was far beyond reach.
Yet, her mum never gave up hope. She prayed that one day Armella could get surgery.
Her prayers were answered when the Africa Mercy sailed to Madagascar. This floating hospital brought state-of-the-art surgical theatres, medical experts, and compassionate care to the hardest-to-reach communities.
Life-changing surgery
To her mum’s overwhelming gratitude, Armella was booked in for free surgery.
A Mercy Ships vehicle collected her and her mum from home and took them all the way to the hospital ship.
Armella slept in her mum’s arms as Mercy Ships volunteer nurses examined her before surgery.
Dr Manjit Dhillon, Mercy Ships volunteer surgeon said, “Her tumour was 280g, about the weight of a large grapefruit. For a two-year-old, that’s a lot of weight to carry.”
On the day of Armella’s surgery, her mum’s heart was beating fast. She stood outside the operating theatre, her hands raised, as she prayed, “Please God, please can my child be OK.”
At the end of surgery, nurses lifted Armella into her mum’s arms. A hospital trolley was pushed to carry them both. As Armella opened her eyes, a bandage gently wrapped around her wound, her mum smiled with relief.
A few hours later on her hospital bed, Armella looked around to see a new world. Her mum was smiling at her, her eyes free from concern and fear. Everything felt so much lighter. This little girl looked full of life and hope.
Diane, a Malagasy nurse who was training with Mercy Ships, said, “It’s really nice to see Armella without her tumour. She is very happy.”
A new future
Now at home, you can see something has changed in Armella. No one stares at her. She plays happily with children in her neighbourhood, giggling with carefree joy.
She picks up a pencil and writes in her older brother’s schoolbook. She wants to walk in his footsteps and go to school one day.
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 said.
Free from the burden of her tumour, Armella’s life has changed for good. Her mum says, “Mercy Ships is a blessing, a light and a rescue for me and Armella. When she had that condition, I suffered with her. When she recovered, I recovered too.”
A gift that lasts
Sadly, there are many more children like Armella who need medical help. Most families in Madagascar can’t afford surgery.
This winter, will you give a gift that lasts? With the gift of tumour-removal surgery, you can change a child’s life today.
But not only that – because your gift will be doubled this season. You can help provide tools and training for a healthcare provider to better serve their own communities.
Your gift means improved healthcare for many more children like Armella. Now and long into the future.
Together, we can create a more hopeful world for tomorrow’s children. And it starts with your gift today.
