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Life-changing surgery on Mercy Ship

A life-changing surgery performed by a British volunteer surgeon on a 10-year-old girl with severely bowed legs aboard Mercy Ship's floating hospital.

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English

United Kingdom

HealthAfricaGlobal HealthCharitySurgeryVolunteerismChildren's Health

Mercy ShipsOxford University Hospitals Trust

Rachel BuckinghamFudiaJoseph

Who performed the surgery and where?: Dr. Rachel Buckingham, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon from Oxford, volunteered with Mercy Ships to perform life-changing surgery on Fudia, a 10-year-old girl from Sierra Leone, who suffered from Blount's disease.
What is Mercy Ships, and what role did it play in this case?: Mercy Ships, an international charity, operates the world's largest floating hospital, providing free surgeries to children in need in Sub-Saharan Africa. They organized and facilitated Fudia's surgery aboard the Global Mercy.
What was Fudia's condition, and what impact did it have on her life?: Fudia's condition caused her legs to bow severely, making walking extremely difficult and impacting her ability to attend school. The surgery involved straightening her legs, resulting in a 14cm increase in height.
What was the outcome of the surgery, and what is Fudia's current status?: After the three-hour surgery, Fudia underwent physical therapy to learn to walk again. She is now doing great, walking more easily, and able to attend school.
What is the broader significance of this case, and what are the future plans?: The need for such surgeries is immense; hundreds of children in Sub-Saharan Africa require similar life-changing operations that Mercy Ships provides. Dr. Buckingham plans to return to Sierra Leone in January 2025 to continue her volunteer work.

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