Trusting in God: Mercy’s Brain Tumor Battle

Headaches. Severe fatigue. Lethargy. Fevers. 

For three years, six-year-old Mercy had been plagued by these symptoms and more. Despite repeated trips to the doctor with her caretaker and aunt, Phiona, it was like they were battling an invisible enemy they didn’t know how to defeat. 

Then the symptoms developed outwardly too—a growth appeared on Mercy’s forehead. “The bump made me uncomfortable . . . Most of the time people would stare and point at me,” Mercy recalls. Once a playful girl, she became withdrawn, struggled with even the simplest tasks, and had to leave school. 

Finally, Phiona sought help at a larger hospital, where the staff quickly realized Mercy needed specialized care and referred her to CURE Children’s Hospital of Uganda (CURE Uganda). 

Hope Amid a Scary Diagnosis

At CURE, a dedicated team of doctors ran a series of tests and scans. The results were alarming: an aggressive tumor was growing from Mercy’s brain, posing potentially life-threatening complications. 

While the news shook Phiona to her core, she also felt relieved to have an answer. And for the first time, there was hope for a path toward healing. “Mercy is a fighter,” she said.

First, CURE Uganda’s highly skilled team of neurosurgeons and nurses performed a delicate and complex procedure to remove the tumor from Mercy’s skull. She was then closely observed in the ICU until she was well enough to be moved to the regular ward. 

But Mercy’s post-surgery recovery wasn’t just physical. Surrounded by CURE’s dedicated spiritual ministry team, she and Phiona were embraced with prayer, counseling, and Jesus’s love. 

Time in the playroom and chapel also helped ease Mercy’s worries. “My [aunt] and I couldn’t miss chapel,” she recalled. “There is a song [she] used to sing called ‘Obangana inimara’ (My God, you love me) . . . I still love it because it reminds me how God loves me and knowing that God was with me the whole time.”

Finally, Mercy became well enough to return home to complete her healing. But the reprieve from her condition did not last long. Just two months later, Mercy was readmitted to CURE Uganda. The tumor was back. 

Partnering for Complete Healing

Due to the type of tumor Mercy has—though benign—the risk of recurrence is high. To help patients with brain tumors fully heal, CURE Uganda has developed a partnership with the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI), a public healthcare facility run with the Ministry of Health.

CURE Uganda and UCI work closely together to ensure patients are provided with timely and consistent care. After a patient undergoes neurosurgery at CURE to remove their tumor, we refer them to UCI for further evaluation and treatment, including radiation and/or chemotherapy. 

Every patient is cared for by a multidisciplinary team of oncologists, surgeons, radiotherapists, and other medical staff. The group meets weekly to discuss treatment options and follow up with patients to ensure they are receiving the care they need. 

“This provides physical, emotional, and spiritual healing well aligned with what CURE Uganda stands for,” shares CURE Uganda Neurosurgeon Dr. Tomson Katungi, who performed Mercy’s brain surgery.

Mercy’s Journey to Healing

Before Mercy could begin supplemental therapy with UCI, she first needed another surgery to remove the regrown tumor. 

While heading into surgery a second time at CURE, she remained focused on healing so she could return to school and spend time with classmates. “My friends miss me at school. My teacher often comes to visit me, and I would like to join them soon,” she shared. 

Mercy’s second surgery was successful, and she is now undergoing chemotherapy at UCI to greatly lower the risk of the tumor returning. She is being closely monitored by the multipdisciplinary team and looks forward to rejoining her classmates—something made possible by CURE’s generous donors, who have funded her treatment at no cost to her family.

Doctors are confident that Mercy is on the road to a full recovery.

Phiona is overcome with emotion at the thought of a bright, healthy future for Mercy—something she once feared might never come. “I want to thank everyone who has supported us, especially those who are helping fund Mercy’s surgery,” she shared through tears of hope. “Without your kindness, we wouldn’t have the chance to give her a life free from pain and fear.”

Learn more about the types of life-changing surgeries CURE Uganda provides.

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