Seawater Intake Valves
🇨🇦 Canadian Program
Keeping Surgeries Flowing
Every year, thousands of patients step aboard the Global Mercy with one hope: the opportunity for a free surgery that can change their lives. For a child born with a cleft lip, for a mother living with a painful tumour, for a father who has lost his sight—these surgeries mean dignity restored, futures reopened, and families renewed.
Behind each of these moments is a global community working together. Volunteer surgeons, nurses, and crew members give their time and skill. Patients bring courage and resilience. And donors provide the resources that keep the hospital ship strong.
What many people don’t see is what it takes to make a hospital ship work. Every system must run reliably to ensure surgeries continue without interruption. That’s why the provision of eight new seawater intake valves is so important. These valves, though hidden below the main deck, keep machinery cool, ensure water flows, and protect the vessel’s stability.
By supporting this upgrade, donors are not just funding equipment—they are safeguarding every free surgery, every volunteer’s effort, and every patient’s chance at healing. Their generosity ensures that the ship remains strong, the operating rooms stay open, and the promise of free surgery continues for thousands of patients each year.
What It Takes to Make Healing Possible
A hospital ship is more than operating rooms—it is a floating city. To keep surgeries flowing, every system must work flawlessly.
The seawater intake valves are crucial for the hospital's operations, as they keep machinery cool, ensure water flows, and protect the vessel's stability. If they malfunction, surgeries could halt, operating rooms could go quiet, and patients wait, making reliable, maritime‑grade replacements essential to maintain uninterrupted care.
The Scale of Impact
Thanks to this shared commitment, the hospital ship the Global Mercy can continue to perform more than 2,500 free surgeries every year. Each surgery is a ripple of hope:
· A child walking to school without pain.
· A parent returning to work and providing for their family.
· A grandparent seeing clearly again, able to care for grandchildren.
These ripples extend far beyond the ship itself, strengthening families and underserved communities across Africa. And for the Canadian and international volunteer crew, reliable systems mean they can focus entirely on serving patients, knowing the ship is safe and dependable.
Strength Beneath the Surface
The marine intake valves may not always be visible. Still, their impact is everywhere—in the laughter of children, the relief of parents, and the dedication of volunteers. They remind us that healing depends on both visible care and the systems that ensure continuous, reliable service.
Patients, volunteers, and donors work together to keep the hospital ship sailing on. Our collective effort ensures that surgeries continue to flow, bringing hope and healing to those in need.
To every donor who makes this possible: thank you. Your generosity is vital in keeping the ship strong, the operating rooms open, and the promise of free surgery alive for thousands of patients each year. You are part of every smile, every step, and every moment of healing aboard the Global Mercy.
“I love that Mercy Ships brings people from all over the world trained in various places and careers to use their knowledge and abilities to make miracles happen every single day.”
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