Ten years after the burn, Naserry could use her arms again
She was a small child when she was burned in Sierra Leone. She grew up with the scars pulling her arms tight against her body.
A burn heals. The scar tissue that forms afterwards keeps tightening, and without surgery it slowly takes away movement.
Growing up around an injury
Naserry was burned when she was very young. In the years that followed, contracted scar tissue drew her arms in towards her body, and simple things - dressing, carrying, reaching - became difficult or impossible.
Ten years passed between the injury and the operation. Not because the surgery is complicated, but because there was no way for her family to reach it.
Release surgery, and what came after
Reconstructive surgery released the contractures and restored movement to her arms. Recovery included physiotherapy, because regaining function after years of restriction takes work as well as an operation.
Those who met her on board did not describe her by her injury. They described a girl who made the ward laugh.
Mercy Ships - five quick facts
- Free surgery since 1978 - surgical care provided at no cost to the patients we serve.
- Two hospital ships - the Africa Mercy and the Global Mercy, each carrying a complete surgical hospital.
- Built for the work - the Global Mercy is the world's largest civilian hospital ship, with six operating rooms and 200 patient beds.
- Crewed by volunteers - around 200 different roles, filled by people from roughly 60 countries who are not paid for their service.
- Invited, not imposed - every field service is agreed with a national government, and training local healthcare professionals is part of it.
