Meet the Crew: Orthopedic Operating Team
Dr. Frank and Kathleen Haydon have led our orthopedic operating team aboard the Africa Mercy since 2009. Dr. Frank is our lead orthopedic surgeon while Kathleen is an operating room nurse and the orthopedic operating room team leader.
“The first year we came in was much more intense,” shares Kathleen. “We brought with us what we know from home and the rush of the OR’s and go-go-go and here it’s more relational. I think that has been a good growing thing for us. These are lives that are being touched and changed and we have to slow down and enjoy it.”
“What keeps us coming back is the transformation of the kids we take care of,” says Dr. Frank. “You can see them come to life and start to shine before your very eyes and starting to do things that are relatively simple for us but not available to them. It’s gratifying to us to participate in their miracles.”
“It’s quite fun,” Kathleen shares. “We met working together. We used to work together many years ago. It’s fun being able to come back here and work side by side. We enjoy it. I think we make a good team in the OR.”
Thanks for all that you do Dr. Frank and Nurse Kathleen!
Mercy Ships Welcomes Presidential Visit on board, in Toamasina Harbor
Presidential Visit: Malagasy president His Excellency Andry Nirina Rajoelina visited patients and volunteers on board Mercy Ships’ hospital vessel to see for himself the lives being transformed.
Day of the Seafarer: One Maritime Volunteer’s Story
On this Day of the Seafarer, Mercy Ships wants to honor all the people like Ishaka, volunteer assistant bosun on board the Global Mercy.
An Electrician’s Journey to Finding Purpose and Professional Growth
When Jean Jacques Diouf came on board for the 1st time, he’d packed his suitcase with enough supplies for one week. Learn more about his professional growth!
THE MSC FOUNDATION, THE MSC GROUP AND MERCY SHIPS INTERNATIONAL JOIN FORCES TO BUILD A NEW HOSPITAL SHIP
The new purpose-built hospital ship will expand the impact of Mercy Ships’ life-changing surgeries, anaesthetic care and surgical education for future generations of patients and healthcare professionals in sub-Saharan Africa.
The Woman Who Forged Her Way Through Walls: Florence Bangura’s Story
Florence’s journey from oldest to newest Mercy Ship came full circle when she met the Global Mercy™ in 2023, the same year that the purpose-built hospital ship began welcoming its patients on board. Today, you can find Florence, now 49 years old, down in the engine room as a hotel engineering assistant.
Transforming Sierra Leone’s Healthcare: A Vision for Safe and Affordable Surgery
As experts from the surgical and healthcare world gather for the 64th Annual Conference and Scientific Meeting of the West African College of Surgeons in Sierra Leone this week, a profound dedication to advancing surgical knowledge and practice in the region is palpable. At the forefront of discussions lies the conference’s pivotal theme: access to safe and affordable surgical and anesthetic care in West Africa. This theme highlights the pressing need to address disparities in healthcare capabilities and capacities across the region, especially the critical importance of equitable access to quality surgical interventions.
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