Celebrating the surgeon behind the first
operation on the Global Mercy®
From One Generation to the Next
Around 100 years ago, Rachel Buckingham’s grandmother became a doctor at a time when some universities in the U.K. still barred women from qualifying as physicians.
Little did Dr. Muriel Griffiths from Cardiff, Wales, know that she would inspire her descendants as she headed off to India to treat patients with leprosy in the 1920s.
Dr. Buckingham, who has been a Consultant Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon at the Oxford University Trust since 2007, said: “My grandmother was a doctor and a trailblazer. In the 1920s she went off as an unmarried woman to India as a medical missionary.
“It was she. My father, another inspiration, was also a surgeon. But hearing what she did, including her work with leprosy patients, made me decide, aged 10, that I wanted to study medicine. And I did not want to do anything else from then on!”
Sadly, her grandmother died in 1977 when Dr. Buckingham was still young, but her formidable spirt left its mark.
First Surgery on the Global Mercy
Fast forward to 2023, where Dr. Buckingham was part of an historic moment herself, as she performed the first surgery on board a ship which is expected to transform more than 150,000 lives through surgery alone during its 50-year lifespan.
In addition, thousands of African medical professionals will receive training and mentoring with the goal of multiplying impact within their communities.
While mother-of-three Dr. Buckingham performs her surgeries, she will be training a Moroccan orthopedic surgeon alongside her, who is committed to staying in Senegal to treat the Senegalese people.
Dr. Buckingham, 55, said: “Senegal has not got a pediatric orthopedic surgeon. I am hopeful he will be their first.”
Her husband Rob, a professor and robotics engineer, volunteered with Dr. Buckingham on board the organization’s other hospital ship, the Africa Mercy, in 2019.
He volunteered in the dining room while Dr. Buckingham went into pediatric orthopedic surgical care.
Stark Differences
Dr. Buckingham said: “Coming out here you notice some stark differences. The lack of surgical care people have here. We treat children with such severe deformities because they would never be able to get to that point at home, we would have treated them in early life. People are just so grateful for the chance to get surgery.”
In sub-Saharan Africa, approximately 9 out of 10 people have no access to safe surgery, according to a 2015 Lancet study. Dr. Buckingham said the need is critically obvious.
“What keeps me coming back is the need. It’s the ability to train local healthcare workers and make a difference. Mercy Ships really wants to do itself out of a job. You go into medicine to have an impact, so here we have a massive impact.”
Just as her grandmother did, Dr. Buckingham’s determination and courage is seeing her change the lives of those in urgent need.
Could you transform lives like this volunteer? Mercy Ships needs all kinds of skills, from medical to maritime, teaching, and hospitality, in order to run its hospital ships. Discover more at https://www.mercyships.org/get-involved/
Other Blog Posts
Raising the Bar for Safe Surgical Care on World Health Day
Dr. Juliette Tuakli speaks on what the theme for this year’s World Health Day, “Health for All,” really looks like on the continent of Africa.
First Patient Recieves Surgery on the Global Mercy®
Meet orthopedic patient Amadou, who received the first surgery on board the hospital ship Global Mercy®
Mercy Ships Canada and Foresight for IT Celebrate 5 Years of Corporate Social Responsibility
Honoring and acknowledging the support from our vital partner, Foresight for IT, as we celebrate five years together.
A Young Leader’s Philanthropic Inspiration
Discover how a young girl inspires others by making a generous donation to Mercy Ships Canada
Share
Related Posts
Creating New Connections: Mercy Ships Canada and the Francophone Nursing Community
Find out how Mercy Ships Canada is getting involved with the French speaking nursing community.
A Young Leader’s Philanthropic Inspiration
Discover how a young girl inspires others by making a generous donation to Mercy Ships Canada
Mercy Ships Canada and Foresight for IT Celebrate 5 Years of Corporate Social Responsibility
Honoring and acknowledging the support from our vital partner, Foresight for IT, as we celebrate five years together.
First Patient Recieves Surgery on the Global Mercy®
Meet orthopedic patient Amadou, who received the first surgery on board the hospital ship Global Mercy®
A Promise Fulfilled: The Africa Mercy Returns to Africa
The Africa Mercy® hospital ship returned to West Africa, bringing hope and healing as the vessel docked once again in the port of Dakar, Senegal.
Raising the Bar for Safe Surgical Care on World Health Day
Dr. Juliette Tuakli speaks on what the theme for this year’s World Health Day, “Health for All,” really looks like on the continent of Africa.