by Darren Swain | Jun 30, 2025 | Patient Stories
In one of Madagascar’s largest rice-producing regions, 9-year-old Annica dreams of one day becoming a teacher. She loves basketball and thrives in subjects like Mathematics, Geography, and French, and she At home, she’s the life of the party, playing lively games with...
by Darren Swain | Jun 24, 2025 | Patient Stories
Harimalala was just 12 years old when her life came to an unexpected pause. The only girl among five siblings, she was a student in Madagascar with dreams and hopes of reaching her full potential. Now, at 24, she recalls, “When I was still studying, I was very...
by Brenda van Straten | Jul 2, 2024 | Patient Stories
Naserry was always a happy child, the kind of girl who brings joy to a room just by entering it. To describe her personality, her aunt, Salamatu, simply laughed and responded: “She likes to talk!” Salamatu has held onto high hopes for her niece, who dreams of becoming...
by Brenda van Straten | Jun 13, 2024 | Patient Stories
In a coastal city in eastern Madagascar lives a 12-year-old boy named Romino. A decade ago, Romino received orthopedic surgery on board a floating hospital ship, the Africa Mercy®, which corrected his bowed legs at the age of just 3 years old. Today, Tilos, as he is...
by Brenda van Straten | Jun 13, 2024 | Patient Stories
Nestled atop a hill with breathtaking views and strong gusts of wind is a village in the heart of Madagascar. Just a six-hour drive from the capital of Antananarivo or Tana, where most of the island’s population live, the village is a sharp contrast to Tana – with...
by Brenda van Straten | Jan 22, 2024 | Patient Stories
In 2015, in an operating room on board the floating hospital of the Africa Mercy®, the course of Vanya’s life changed. Until then, the 11-year-old had spent her childhood challenged by windswept legs that curved sideways. The condition – often caused by a combination...
