Thankyou for looking at my page (NB see my pics by touching the photos icon just right of my picture above) - I’m just back from four weeks in cyclone torn Toamasina Madagascar. I’ve been working full time unpaid, aboard a hospital ship called ‘Africa Mercy’. The mission is to provide surgery to the poor here, people with no other hope of care.

The patients are among the loveliest and most appreciative people I have ever met. Some have no shoes, some a first name only. The poverty is shocking.

I heard about Mercy Ships in a chance conversation last year and saw my chance to personally help as a dentist. The operating theatres on the ship are constantly busy, doing a whole range of surgeries including for women with fistulas after child birth, complex operations to fix severe facial tumours in children and adults, cleft palate, correction of bowed legs and club feet, restoring sight, hernias, goiters and reconstructive plastic surgery for burns injuries and dental surgery.

Diseases are simply left untreated for years here because there are no surgeons and sadly reach horrifying stages. I have seen cases of this every day in my patients and those waiting on the dockside.

Last week I saw a man who had not been able to get treatment for an infected wisdom tooth, over years this had resulted in infection spreading into his jaw causing the whole side of his face to be chronically and painfully swollen. He was so grateful when I was able to give him immediate relief by removing the infected teeth.

I am also helping train local dental workers so that they can continue after we have gone.

I've been living on the ship sleeping in a small cabin with six others. There is little time away.

The work is intense and relentless.

As well as giving up a month of my pay and time I have also freely donated a thousand pounds of my own money before I set off to kick start this fundraiser - that is the daily running cost of an operating theatre on the ship.

I’m aiming to raise ten thousand pounds to help with the amazing work of the ship which will have real impact, so please excuse my direct request.

My plea is that you can give also so that mine and others’ work to alleviate these terrible and unseen sufferings can continue.

Every donation will help provide surgery and hope to very needy people and children.

Justin.

Please watch this three minute video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xT2qZu6zE5s&t=8s

And read Ibrahim’s story – life‑changing dental care

https://mercyships.africa/the-impact-of-timely-dental-care-ibrahims-story/

MercyShips Mission Page

www.mercyships.org/our-mission/

Further note from Mercy Ships:

Globally, there are five billion people who have no access to safe, affordable surgery when they need it. Mercy Ships is working hard to plug this gap. Since 1978, Mercy Ships has visited more than 70 countries, providing services worth more than £1 billion that have directly helped more than 2.5 million people. Mercy Ships has also trained more than 38,000 local health professionals in order to leave a legacy that lasts. www.mercyships.org.uk