The Goiter Project started June 22, just days after surgeon Greg Saunders arrived at Gimbie Adventist Hospital from Oregon, USA. He has operated on 25 patients, relieving them from the burden and pain of having a large mass protruding from their neck between their collarbone and chin.
About two goiter operations are preformed each morning. In the afternoon, potential surgery recipients are screened. Because of the quantity of people with varying intensities of goiters, we are not operating on a first come first serve basis. Rather, Dr. Saunders evaluates each potential goiter patient and chooses those with pain, difficulty breathing and swallowing. Those not selected are given a dose of Lipiodol (iodized oil in pill form) that lasts a year. Those admitted are normally in the hospital about three days; pre-surgery, surgery, post-surgery, and discharged on morning four. Chaltu and Wogari are two of our patients that have successfully completed the process.
Forty five year-old Chaltu is the mother of 9 children. Together, the family farms their land and then sells their produce to for an income. Chaltu, like most people over thirty from the rural community, has never attended school. She has lived with her goiter for at least 24 years. Chaltu is very thankful for the surgery and prays blessings upon her donor(s).
Wogari is 54 years-old. He too is a farmer and has suffered with a goiter for the past 25 years. He has wanted to remove his goiter for a long time but was never able to because of finances. He is thankful to God for the opportunity to remove the once inconvenient, problematic goiter. “It is very nice that I can move my head from side to side now” Wogari said, “May God bless all of you who made this possible.”
Our plan is to remove the goiters of 36 patients’ total. Surgery costs about 2,200 birr, only 200 USD. However, that is a price that many cannot afford to pay. The average wage is 12 birr, one dollar, a day. Thus, a family must save every cent for half of the year. This is the average. Most people with goiters, however, do not earn an average income. They cannot afford to buy ionized salt let alone have an expensive surgery; hence we provide these surgeries for free. Although, we only have collected the money for 24 patients we will move on in faith knowing that God is Provider and Sustainer. We are thankful to those who have already given to the Goiter Project and are thankful for those that will.
To donate go to www.gimbie.wordpress.com/donate.