The Floating Blood Bank That “Takes All Types”
Millions of people around the world owe their lives to individuals they will never meet — people who donate their blood to help others. But volunteer crew members onboard the world’s largest charity hospital ship, the Africa Mercy, work just minutes away from the patients who receive their “gift of life” every day in West Africa.
Blood donor, Nurse Danita Gilbert, from Peterborough, Ontario recently returned from Douala, Cameroon on June 2nd where she was part of a crew who not only gave their time and skills, but also their blood to help save lives.
“It is very strange giving blood one day, then taking care of the patient who received it the next. Seeing my name in their chart, on their transfusion form, it felt very odd and so opposite of how very anonymously things are done here in Canada. The patient never knew about it. I knew, though, that I was not just caring for this person, but had had a much more direct impact on their outcome,” Danita tells us.
Danita gave blood during her time onboard the hospital ship to patients like 35-year-old Djenabou, from Douala, Cameroon who needed extra for life-saving surgery to remove a huge tumour from her neck.
Djenabou’s goiter began as a small lump on her neck and slowly progressed to a large mass constricting her airways. For 18 years it grew, making breathing continuously difficult and causing regular bouts of painful coughing. When Djenabou discovered Mercy Ships, her life changed drastically. Thanks to the ship’s walking blood bank, and four blood donors, Djenabou’s free surgery was a success.
The blood bank onboard is not stored in a refrigerator in neatly labeled packages for days or weeks. Instead, the 400-person volunteer crew sign up to give blood on demand to help patients being treated in one of the five state-of-the-art operating rooms onboard the floating hospital that sails to a different West African port every year. The laboratory onboard compares the patient blood samples, which are taken and tested upon admission, with the potential crew donors. Crew members are contacted as needed and can be asked at any time day or night to give a pint. Often, the donation, still warm, is walked straight over to the patient.
“All of the crew members, not just the blood donors, not just the surgeons, not just the nurses, but the engineers, the cooks, the chaplains, the HR team…everyone contributes to the moment a patient sees themselves once their bandages are removed,” Danita says of the life-changing moment each patient experiences after surgery.
With the help of Mercy Ships’ floating blood bank, the medical crew onboard the Africa Mercy impacted more than 35,000 people through the hospital ship’s services during its 10-month stay in Cameroon!
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.
The Africa Mercy Arrives in Madagascar to Bring Hope and Healing Anew
Freshly refitted hospital ship, the upgraded Africa Mercy® has arrived at the island nation to build on the charity’s longstanding collaboration and will provide specialized surgeries in various fields, including maxillofacial and ear nose and throat, general, pediatric specialized general, pediatric orthopedic, cataract surgery, and reconstructive plastics.
Reuniting with Vanya, Years After Surgery
In 2015, in an operating room on board the Africa Mercy while docked in Madagascar, the course of Vanya’s life changed.
Years have now passed since Vanya’s journey toward healing. In the time since, her improved ability to walk allowed her to return to school, where she loved studying environmental science and learning about the world around her.
Christmas-Thank You Message from Darryl Anderson
Darryl Anderson shares his thank you message after Christmas to express his gratitude for your support and dedication to our mission.
Kadidja: A Future as Bright as her Smile
At Mercy Ships Canada, we serve those who have lost hope, bringing healing and transformation. Our volunteers, inspired by their faith, work selflessly to perform surgeries that renew not only bodies but also faith and hope. This Christmas, be a part of the miracle by making a donation to Mercy Ships Canada. Your contribution will help renew faith and offer a second chance at life. Together, we can make a significant impact on those who have suffered for too long.
Share
Related Posts
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.
Africa Celebration
The Africa Celebration is a moment to pause and give thanks for 30 years of partnership, filled with stories of hope and healing.
International Symposium and Dakar Declaration
Learn more about the International Symposium and Dakar Declaration that were hosted in Dakar, Senegal, on Friday, May 6, 2022.
A Franco-Canadian Onboard the Global Mercy
Now living in France, Léa works for Mercy Ships Canada remotely and “seized the opportunity” when the hospital ship Global Mercy came to Europe.
Safer Surgery for a New Generation: Pediatric Anesthesia Training in Senegal
In June 2022, more than 30 Senegalese healthcare professionals boarded the Global Mercy® to equip themselves with new skills that could save countless vulnerable young lives.
NOTICE OF BOARD VACANCIES MERCY SHIPS CANADA
Mercy Ships Canada is seeking up to three dynamic independent Directors to join our Board over the next 18-months.