CHANGE A LIFE - pediatric surgery in Sierra Leone

We are very blessed to have Dr. Lebbie as our BethanyKids pediatric surgeon in Sierra Leone.  Thank you for your support for our work there.  Your generosity continues to make a difference in the lives of many children.


A NOTE FROM DR. LEBBIE:

We are thankful that life here is slowly returning back to normal. Travel has opened up enabling me to resume my routine visits to clinics as far away as Jericho Road's Adama Martha Memorial Community Health Center (AMMCH).  Please accept my gratitude for your continued support.  

I want to share with you the accomplishments over this past year which would not have been possible without your support.  Despite the challenges we faced as a result of Covid-19, 256 children received surgical treatment; and we provided over 1,000 outpatient reviews and consultations. Twenty (24) four children gave their lives to Christ. We are deeply thankful to see so many lives transformed for eternity.

This past month, I was able to travel to Adama Martha Community Health Center to provide consultations and reviews to children in need of treatment there.  This community health center is located nearly 400km from Connaught hospital in Freetown which is my primary work location.  Unfortunately, my team and I did not perform any operations at the centre.  One of the barriers to treating children with disabilities we often come across is the lack of education within rural communities regarding the medical options available to support children born with disabilities.  Moreover, many communities are superstious towards those with disabilities. This is an area we continue to place efforts in by providing the necessary awareness and education to debunk negatively held beliefs. As we continue to raise awareness, I am optimistic that parents will be encouraged to bring their children for treatment.

We have a proposed new surgical camp at the Makeni regional hospital located towards the Northern part of the country.  We are looking forward to providing surgical treatment in this new location as soon as we can get the basic theatre equipment and pediatric surgical instruments needed there.  This will help children in this part of the coutry to access the care that they desperately need.  Would you consider giving towards this need?

 
The team here in Sierra Leone, the children and parents thank you most sincerely for your support!