All through this month, we are focusing on the work of our Uganda hospital.  We asked Derek Johnson, the hospital’s executive director, if he’d like to write something for the blog.  He kindly obliged us…

A few days ago, we were hosting a group from  The Affero Project. As I spoke about the groundbreaking work accomplished at the hospital,  I told the story of a young boy, 14 years of age, named Oscar, who suffers from a brain tumor. Oscar and his father came here a couple of weeks ago without a lot of hope.

As I described this case, I reflected back on some of our success stories for children with brain tumors. In any country in the world, a brain tumor diagnosis brings thoughts of despair and hopelessness. For many of us, a death sentence is the first thing to come to mind. Dr. Mugamba, our hospital’s medical director, and his colleagues are doing groundbreaking and important work in the treatment of hydrocephalus, but it’s no more remarkable than the four dozen tumors they’ll operate on this year.

Priscilla

I recently visited one of our brain tumor patients, one year after surgery, in her mother’s shop. Priscilla is a healthy, precocious little girl today. I’ve been in touch with and seen Priscilla on several occasions throughout the year, but this recent visit reminded me how remarkable it was for her to even be alive, let alone doing so well.

I once asked a mother of another one of our brain tumor cases if she ever grew weary of her son’s condition. She told me, “Yes, there were days when we did not think it was worth it or whether he would survive, but your hospital staff encouraged us in ways that helped us to carry on.”

In addition to saving lives, the work at the CURE Children’s Hospital of Uganda is changing the way Ugandans view diseases and disabilities. These children are living testaments to the possibilities of what can happen when excellence and loving care come together.