Today 5 Billion People Worldwide Lack Access to Healthcare

Although medical advancements in the last several decades have continued to improve the quality of life for so many, one issue remains — access. Whether it is geographic, like a community living in a rural region, or a lack of trained surgeons at local hospitals, over 5 billion people worldwide don't have access to the care they need.

Right now, there is only one surgeon per 200,000 people in sub-Saharan Africa. And, devastatingly, this means that many treatable conditions become life-threatening. Worldwide, roughly 17 million people die each year due to a lack of safe surgery.
 

Many times, it is children who are living with little to no access to medical care. In addition to physical pain, they often experience bullying, isolation and lack of social acceptance. Their condition can also grow worse, endangering the life of the child.

Safe, free surgery on board

Mercy Ships, following the 2,000-year-old model of Jesus, brings hope and healing wherever their two state-of-the-art hospital ships sail. On board the Africa Mercy® and the Global Mercy®, volunteer medical professionals provide safe, free surgery to those in need. And here's the best part: it's made possible by volunteers and caring people like you.

Limbs are straightened, blinding cataracts are removed, scar tissue is treated and so much more. Newfound optimism is kindled in the hearts of those in recovery. It made such a difference to a child like Armella in Madagascar.

Every parent fears for their children's health.

When Armella was a baby, a tumor developed behind her ear, worrying her mother and father. In the coming days, that tumor would continue to grow. Instead of wanting to play with Armella, neighborhood children would stare at the tumor.

"She might get rejected a lot when she grows up," her mother Caessah said fretfully. Take a moment to put yourself in Caessah's shoes. Your child is suffering and getting worse every day, but there is no doctor, no hospital where you can find help. All your solutions are out of reach.

This was Caessah's reality. Two years passed and the tumor continued to grow, weighing heavily on Armella's small frame. Caessah was desperate for a way to help her daughter. Watching her daughter struggle became almost too painful to bear. Then, Caessah learned that the Africa Mercy was coming to Madagascar!

Hope and healing on the way

The pair made the journey to the ship, where they met with nurses and doctors. Overwhelming joy washed over Caessah when she learned that Armella would receive surgery. The tumor, roughly the size of a grapefruit, was removed and Armella was finally free.

“Mercy Ships is a blessing, a light and a rescue for me and Armella,” Caessah said of the journey. “When she had that condition, [I suffered with her]. When she recovered, I recovered too.”

Today, Armella is back at home, no longer enduring stares and whispers. She's happy and full of life. Her future is now full of promise. This is the kind of transformation Mercy Ships brings to children and adults with little or no access to medical care. But they need support to help more children like Armella.

Another child’s life-changing surgery begins with you

Right now, a gift to Mercy Ships will DOUBLE in value, helping even more people who are suffering receive the surgery and medical care they need. During this Christmas season, there's no gift more precious than a future free from pain and shame. A future filled with possibilities.

And your support will go so much further than surgery. Through your gift, Mercy Ships' volunteer medical crew will also train local doctors, expanding access to care in communities for years to come.

Mercy Ships also provides dental care to people in the countries they serve, ending pain and restoring dignity. In Madagascar alone, Mercy Ships has performed more than 7,770 surgeries and trained over 2,260 medical professionals during their visits. They have also performed over 57,000 dental procedures. Countless lives have been changed because someone like you decided to help make a difference for vulnerable communities.

A season of joy. A season of giving.

Make a gift today and it will go TWICE as far to change the life of a child like Armella. Every $50 you give becomes $100. Every $100 becomes $200. And when you do, know that you are sharing hope and healing where it is needed most. Help answer the prayers of a child in need today.