Embracing Her New Identity: Vavitsara’s Story
Vavitsara is a 47-year-old woman from a village in the North of Toamasina. She’s a devoted wife,
mother of five children, and the grandmother of an 8-year-old boy. Her days are filled with farming
duties, providing for her family, and nurturing the simple but vibrant life around her. Yet, for
nearly two decades, Vavitsara has carried a burden that’s grown heavier with each passing year.
A Discomfort Becomes a Dilemma
It all began in 2004 when she noticed a small bump on her neck. At first, it was hardly noticeable,
just a slight swelling that she could easily ignore. But over time, the bump grew into a large goiter
that slowly transformed her appearance. The woman who once looked confidently into the mirror
now avoided her reflection. “I don’t like looking at my face in the mirror, especially having my
photo taken,” Vavitsara shared. The goiter became more than just a physical growth; it altered her
identity, making her dislike her image. With each passing year, the goiter and Vavitsara’s
discomfort expanded.
Dr. Allen-John Collins, the surgeon who eventually treated her, explained the nature of her
condition: “It’s a benign multinodular goiter that was quite large… which is expected to grow over
time. It tends to be slow and relentless but keeps enlarging.” As the goiter grew, it started to
overshadow her life. “It starts to get larger and becomes the focal point of their life, preventing
them from participating in normal activities,” he shared, echoing its impact on Vavitsara’s
confidence and daily routine.
She began to close in on herself, avoiding situations where her appearance might be scrutinized.
“I really hate this goiter because it changed my face,” she confided. She hated having her photo
taken and would turn away from cameras, unwilling to capture a face that no longer felt like her
own. When her national identity card expired, she couldn’t bring herself to update it. “I should
renew my national identity card, but I don’t want to take a new photo,” she admitted. She even
postponed her wedding, unable to face the thought of being featured in photographs with the goiter
prominently displayed.
The goiter became a wall between Vavitsara and the life she wanted to live, casting a shadow over
her joy and self-worth.
In 2016, a ray of hope appeared. Vavitsara heard about Mercy Ships from a friend; an international
charity operating hospital ships that provide free surgeries to those in need. She dared to dream of
a life without the goiter for the first time in years. But that hope was fleeting; she missed the patient
selection screening event and, with it, the chance for surgery. “We were late, so we had to go back
home.” Once again, her dreams were put on hold and she continued to live with the goiter, waiting
and hoping for another opportunity.
Eight years later, that opportunity arrived. While visiting her sick daughter at a hospital in
Toamasina, she overheard that Mercy Ships was returning. This time, she was determined not to
miss her chance. After a few months back in her village, she received a call from her daughter,
who was in the port city of Toamasina where the Africa Mercy® was docked.
Vavitsara made the journey to the patient selection center, undaunted by the obstacles. Her
husband, Victor, stayed back in their village, still uncertain about the possibility of his wife’s
healing. “I had no confidence, I hesitated. I wondered if my wife would be healed or not.” In
Toamasina, Vavitsara spent a night on the beach in front of the patient selection center with others
who were also seeking help, driven by the hope that she might finally be free from the burden
she’d carried for so long.
The next day, she finally received her long-awaited appointment.
Rediscovering Herself After Surgery
In the day leading up to the operation, Vavitsara slowly began to open up to the Mercy Ships
volunteer crew, sharing her story with vulnerability and newfound hope. She spoke of how the
goiter had changed her face and stolen her confidence. “I hope this will be removed soon because
I’m finally going [to be able to] have our wedding,” she said, with a mix of anticipation and relief.
After passing through the admissions process, Vavitsara walked up the gangway of the Africa
Mercy and was admitted to the ward before being taken to the operating room. The surgery took
about two hours and was a pivotal moment in her journey. Dr. Collins reflected on the procedure:
“I think for her, life will quite quickly go back to normal. That’s the great pleasing effect of
surgery; it gives you another chance to resume your life again.”
When Vavitsara woke up in the recovery ward, Juliana Speth, a volunteer nurse from the United
States handed her a mirror. This was the moment she’d both longed for and dreaded. At first, her
reaction was quiet, almost hesitant. She looked at herself, uncertain of the face that stared back.
But when a larger mirror was brought to her, something beautiful happened. A smile began to
spread across her face, which had been hidden for nearly two decades.
She gazed at her reflection – not just for a moment, but for minutes on end – rediscovering the
woman she’d once been and the woman she was becoming. “I am so thankful to God and Mercy
Ships; I am so happy,” Vavitsara expressed joyfully.
It was as if the mirror had given her back more than just her image; it had returned her sense of
self. Juliana expressed her happiness after witnessing this magical moment: “Vavitsara came back
from surgery with a smile! She told us that she will get married after this and we are so glad to be
part of that.”
A Joyful Future Ahead
In the days that followed, Vavitsara’s joy continued to grow. She was a different woman when she
returned for her first outpatient appointment. The burden she’d carried for so long was lifted, and
in its place was a lightness that she had almost forgotten.
“I will finally have my new national identity card when I return home,” she said with newfound
pride. “Now, I am happy to do the wedding!” She couldn’t wait to return to her village to show
her family and friends the transformation that had occurred; not just on her neck but in her heart.
The goiter that had once overshadowed her life was gone, along with the fear and shame that kept
her from truly living.
Back in her village, her family and friends were overjoyed to see her back and free from her disease
after so many years. A few weeks later, with the invitation of Vavitsara and Victor, some Mercy
Ships crew members attended her wedding. She looked beautiful and proud of her image in her
white dress with pink flowers. “I am overjoyed and so grateful for what you have done for me,”
she said. Her husband Victor joined her in thankfulness: “First, I thank God and then all of you!
Thank you so much because I was worried that she would never be healed from that disease.”
Today, Vavitsara no longer hides from the camera or the mirror. Instead, she embraces life with
renewed confidence, ready to create memories and celebrate milestones with her family.
Vavitsara
Embracing Her New Identity
Written By: Henintsoa Rasolonjatovo (MDG)
Edited By: Zeddy Kosgei (KEN) and Jennifer Seifert (USA)
Photos By: Joshua Chau (CAN)
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