I have just returned from a Surgical Mission in Ghana, West Africa.

The delegation was composed of a team from Canada, who ran rural clinics in the villages of the Northern Region of Ghana and a team from the UK, who ran the operating theatres at a compound in Carpenter, a small village about 13 hours' drive from Accra. We set up two operating theatres, which ran simultaneously on most days. The work was tough, relentless, starting at 06:30a.m. and finishing at 21:00p.m. Most of the operations we had on our list were herniae repairs, with a few lumps and bumps. Each evening, a flood of patients streamed to the compound where we were based in order to be pre-assessed for the following day. In 10 days, we operated on 160 patient and performed 206 procedures. The importance of hernia repair for these patients is paramount as they are all farmers and manual workers, and they do not have the means to go to the cities to be operated on. Access to healthcare services in that region is scarce, if at all existent. 

I met the most amazing people on this trip and came back enriched on so many levels (academic, clinical, personal, social, spiritual).

The festive season along with my birthday is fast approaching. This year, instead of giving me birthday and Christmas presents, you are welcome to donate to 'Operation Hernia', the organisation I went with (see my justgiving.com page below).

Wishing you a very Happy Christmas, and a year in which we will all strive and succeed in being better people!!

Much love,

Natalie

http://www.justgiving.com/NatalieWeeg

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now.