I’m pleased to share that my Christian Medical Mission to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital city, has established a busy cancer program at Myungsung Christian Medical Center and School (MCM). Local cancer patients and many from Somalia, northern Kenya, and South Sudan come to the Center where I perform their surgeries. I’ve received emergency transfers from large government hospitals for five months now, working many hours to keep up with the vast need.
Sadly, I confront many advanced cancer patients beyond cure. I’ve performed over 17,000 surgeries on cancer patients over 30 years. But in Africa, I’ve seen more advanced cancer patients in six months than I’ve seen in a year in Michigan. Cancer advances to late stages over here due to the lack of radiotherapy, chemotherapy treatments, early diagnostic interventions, and expert cancer surgeons in the area. Thus, the demand for palliative oncologic surgeries is daunting. To address this, I’ve formed a multidisciplinary clinic and training program recruiting the help of experts. An expatriate plastic surgeon from Oslo, Norway (Dr. Erich Erickson), a senior Gastroenterologist (Dr. Mark Topozion) from the Mayo Clinic, and a G.I. specialist trained in Germany with extensive experience have joined my team.
Mother Teresa’s Sisters of Charity have a large house in Addis. There, I’m spiritually nourished every Sunday mass at 6:30 AM and enjoy the welcome opportunity to care for their cancer patients. I’ve opened my clinic to their patients, providing them with tests, biopsies, and surgeries. Through beneficiaries like you supporting my nonprofit organization, Samaritan’s Helping Hands, I’m empowered to cover surgical expenses and the cost of x-rays for those without resources or funds.
Even more, your generosity for this worthy mission educates the providers of the future who will fill the void in this underserved world. I teach clinical anatomy, bioethics, and clinical surgery to medical students. My unique training encompasses all three chambers of the human body (head and neck, chest, breast, abdomen, and pelvis). As a result, I’m well prepared to bring extensive and comprehensive expertise where essentially none exists.
Your support has helped me extend my mission to India. I first visited Swami Rama University Hospital in Jolly Grant, Uttarakhand, in 1993. Since then, it has grown to a 1000+ bed general hospital with all specialties, including post-graduate training. I’m delighted to see their separate 200+ bed cancer institution with surgical oncology fellowships and a complete facility for radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatments. In addition, they have a 150 students/year medical school, a 100 students/year nursing college, and a biotechnology school. I’ve performed surgery while mentoring their fellows and residents during my recent visit.
My experiences in Africa and India have led me to decide to spend my remaining professional years training young physicians to become cancer surgery specialists. I hope and pray that, in 3 to 5 years, these young men and women will care for many cancer patients throughout Africa and India.
I hope and pray that through our efforts, cancer patients from around eastern Africa will come to Addis so that we can diagnose, treat, and heal them and then send them home to live fuller and longer lives with their families. Your prayers and generous donations to this nonprofit 501(c)(3), Samaritan’s Healing Hands, will be of great value to our African cancer patients, many of whom are of low economic means, including many from Mother Teresa’s house. I genuinely believe that we can heal innumerable patients, bring happiness to their families, and bestow them with an abundance of blessings. May our Lord give you and your family abundant blessings for your generous donation for this life-changing mission.
Please sign up for our newsletter, and we welcome your continued generosity by donating online. May our Lord keep you safe and bless you in abundance
.…Sukamal Saha, MD, FACS , FRCS(C)
Commentaires