Memunatu's Miracle Journey With Mercy Ships
At just 10 months old, Memunatu was suffering from a large lump on her neck, that had grown from a small mass that appeared when she was five months old.
Her mother, Aminata, explained she was fearful because doctors had told her Memunatu was too young for them to intervene.
“It started when she was five months, like she had a cold,” said Aminata. “I took her to the hospital; they said it's a cold and they treated her for cold. But then, her neck area began to grow bigger.”
Aminata was referred to several doctors before someone helped connect her to the Global Mercy, which was docked nearby.
At Mercy Ships, the team schedules patients well ahead of a field service, but Memunatu did not come to the patient selection program. This meant that the only way she could obtain surgery was through a referral.
"It's rare for us to attend to referrals late into a field service because we already have a very full schedule. But we were worried about her condition and knew that we needed to get her in quickly," said Krystal Franke, a volunteer preoperative manager from the United States.
Meticulous surgery on a baby
The surgery itself was slow and meticulous, with a total time under anesthesia of about five to six hours. Dr. Cheng carefully avoided blood loss while preserving critical nerves and blood vessels.
"With every single millimeter I was estimating, calculating, and trying to prevent any bleeding," Dr. Cheng explained.
Without the surgery, her condition would have continued to worsen, affecting her ability to swallow, eat, speak, or even cry. It could have become life threatening".Dr. Cheng Volunteer surgeon from the United Kingdom
Post-Operation Peace
Memunatu was placed in ICU for monitoring. After the operation, Krystal went down to the ICU and saw Aminata changed.
"When I saw Aminata relieved, I saw a light come back into her eyes. Her daughter was safe, she was going to be okay, and she was going to live," Krystal said.
"When they brought her from the theater, I thought she was going to lose her life because she's so little for such a condition," Aminata explained. "I was very worried for my child. If not for this surgery that Mercy Ships did for my child, she would have lost her life. Thank you."
Grace for Memunatu
Volunteer hospital staff were overjoyed with her as a patient on board the Global Mercy. "When she was discharged, it was such a great joy for me to see Memunatu's face. There was no tumor and her eyes were so full of light and joy”, Krystal said.
"My hope for Memunatu is that she realizes that her life is sacred and precious. And that she gets to live a long, fulfilling life now because of the generosity of other people," Krystal said.
Memunatu is so young that she may never know that any of this happened. But everyone who met her on the ship remembers. "She was just such a special case," Krystal said.
Back home at her village in Port Loko, Sierra Leone, Memunatu smiles differently. A wave of joy splashes over her face as she plays with her mom, who also seems transformed.
Because of your support, Memunatu received the life-changing surgery she needed just in time. With your help, more children like her can have a chance at a brighter, healthier future.
Join the movement
Armella recovered thanks to the surgeons and nurses on board the Africa Mercy, but also by the wider community that makes this work sustainable. Cargo Day has been central to that effort. We’re so grateful for e everyone in the shipping community who has already pledged their support. Their contributions aren’t just numbers on a page. They’re the reason children like Armella can go to school, families can find relief, and communities can look to the future with hope.
And there’s still space for more to join.
Memunatu's journey in pictures
