Volunteers with LDS Charities worked alongside medical professions from Winneba Trauma and Specialty Hospital as part of a humanitarian and medical training mission that blessed the lives of the poor and needy. LDS Charities is the humanitarian arm of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
- Team arrives
- Theater
- Kristy
- Matthew
- Conferring
- Burn
- Discuss
- Examine
- Smiles
- Peace
- John
- Father and son
- Love
- Kingsley
- Pictures
- Hand
- Team
- Surgeon
- Medical team
- X-Ray
- Orders
- Recovery
- Staff
- Service with a smile
- Ready
- Surgical room
- Flowering bush
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A central belief of the Church is to serve people everywhere, which stems from a desire to follow Jesus Christ. This core doctrine is a motivating force for surgeons and medical specialists who volunteer through LDS Charities, Ghana Make a Difference and LDS World Travel Humanitarian to bring relief to the poor and needy living in Ghana.
Dr. Christopher English, Orthopedic Specialist in hand and upper extremities, performed 22 complicated surgeries over the four day period. He worked in the surgical theater with Dr. Kingsley Dzidzoma Ampeh, Orthopedic Traumatologist from Ghana.
Dr. English said “I came to Ghana…looking for a way to make a positive impact and remind myself why I am doing medicine. This has been an uplifting and humbling experience for all of us.”
Dr. Kingsley remarked, “Quite simply, it is a delight to work with this medical team. They are a big relief for our patients and hospital. I am blessed to work with such devoted medical providers.”
“LDS Charities looks for partners who are aware of the poor and the needy,” said John Buah, Africa West Area Welfare Manager. “In this way we can do more to relieve suffering. If we had to do it all ourselves, we could not even scratch the surface for what is needed here.”
Ghana Health Service, a central partner for this medical mission, provided local medical facilities and doctors to assist the visiting specialists. LDS World Travel Humanitarian teamed with Ghana Make a Difference, a local NGO, to organize and bring physicians and support staff to Ghana. LDS Charities provided monetary resource for the pre-screening and post-operative care for those in need.
Kristy Martin, a nurse anesthetist for the team shed a few tears when she said “The people we see are so patient. Samuel fell into a pot of boiling porridge when he was three. He has lived with his physical disability for 29 years. He had surgery on his burnt arms and hands yesterday. We were present when God performed a miracle which relieved his suffering.”