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Helping others makes you happy!
Dear friends and supporters,
thank you very much for the many enquiries and words of encouragement we received following the June newsletter. I think it’s exciting to now read what has become of the families and their medical histories! Every single story has turned out so positively precisely because we were involved. The Madagascan healthcare system simply isn’t up to scratch! But that’s why MHM exists – and helping others makes you happy!
And, of course, there’s also some news to share…
Tsiferana’s mum and her cancer
The operation went well and, after a few days, we transferred her mum to our hospital. This made her care better and less stressful. After ten days with us, she was able to go home. On 1 August, Tsiferana, our colleague who looks after logistics at the hospital, took her mum to an ultrasound scan, accompanied by her sister-in-law. Before the operation, there were over 5 litres of fluid in her abdomen, and the surgeon said this would return very soon – a sign of the cancer. And all we could see was that there was no – absolutely no – free fluid in her abdominal cavity! Tears of joy…
A new, sensational medical story!
Eulalice came to us from the deepest bush. First, she walked for three days until she reached the village of Fandriana, where a bush taxi departs. From there, it was another two days’ journey to reach us.
In March 2018, Eulalice became pregnant with her third child. Christmas came and went, and the baby showed no sign of arriving. Her bump grew and grew – and from March onwards, she could no longer feel the baby moving. In June, a medical team came to her very remote village and used an ultrasound scan to confirm that the baby had died. Labour was induced – but without success. After a few days of waiting, the decision was made to perform a caesarean section, as the team would only be staying in the village for a short while longer. No sooner said than done – almost, anyway! Her abdomen was cut open and a very small, empty womb was found. So, everything was stitched up again and the woman was sent to the capital. Eulalice waited for three weeks until the incision had healed before setting off.
The diagnosis was quickly clear… Eulalice had an abdominal pregnancy! The baby had been in her womb for 16 months by then, and it was a miracle that she was still alive. Thanks to our partnership with the Tulisa Foundation, funding was quickly secured! We contacted the professor at the University Obstetrics Clinic and were even able to accompany Eulalice into the operating theatre that very evening and subsequently to the intensive care unit. A medical sensation beyond belief – the operation went ahead without the expected complications, such as heavy blood loss or difficulties in separating the placenta from the organs. The baby was mummified, lying with its head behind the liver, and the placenta had grown onto the outside of the womb – or rather, had already detached. What can be written here in a few lines and read quickly is almost impossible to put into words. What Eulalice’s body went through is virtually impossible. The fact that she didn’t develop a serious infection, that her intestines never ceased to function despite the baby being wrapped around all the intestinal loops, and that she survived the long and arduous walk unscathed after major surgery – so many miracles, both big and small!
We also transferred Eulalice to our hospital after five days. We then discharged her, freshly dressed and refreshed, in good health, and continued to look after her on an outpatient basis for a further ten days. Then came the journey home – again by bush taxi and then on foot! Now she’s back in the deepest bush. She’ll be coming back for a check-up in January 2020! We’re excited and infinitely grateful that we were able to help save her life!
Njara ~ our boy whose foot was run over by a lorry!
Accident on 10 June – we transferred Njara to the University Children’s Surgical Hospital and supported him, his family and the lorry driver’s family over the following days and weeks.
In the end, no further amputation was carried out. Then, after two weeks, we were told again – the amputation would go ahead. A week later, we received the ‘shopping list’ for the second operation. The family was in dire straits, but MHM was there to help – we paid for the materials, totalling over 200 euros. Then came the phone call saying that the professor wanted to speak to me, Tanja, the next day. Feeling a bit uneasy, I drove to the university.
The result:
– no operation
– a refund for the unnecessarily purchased surgical materials
– Njara was transferred to us!
What a joy!
The foot was completely exposed, and Njara wanted nothing to do with his amputated foot – a huge challenge for us and our team! That was 5 July 2019…
Njara stayed with us for a month – initially accompanied by his father or his big sister Lalaina, and later on his own during the day. Then the big day arrived – he was allowed to go home. Our aim was to help him get about and support him on an outpatient basis, as he was always trying to hide from other children. He was very ashamed of his foot.
We took him home with his new toys and clothes – and there were plenty of tears. At first, we weren’t quite sure why, but when we caught sight of the ‘house’, we knew why. The family is very, very poor. It broke all our hearts – two rooms upstairs for seven people. And with every step you take, you worry that you might accidentally and suddenly find yourself back on the ground floor.
The father came back from the fields beaming with joy – his job is making bricks. The mother stays at home, looking after little Chantal, who was born last year as the family’s ninth child whilst she was with us. I have rarely seen such a loving family, and at the same time, I have rarely seen such a poor family. Njara has cried many tears – he sleeps on the floor, on an old plastic sheet filled with straw.
Our hope is that, with our building team, we can improve the house. At the very least, so that both rooms are usable, the ceiling is secure, the roof can be made watertight again and a mattress or two can be bought. For this, we need around 1,000 euros. In the long term, we would like to offer the family a sponsorship scheme: we would like to be able to contribute one sack of rice, along with fruit and vegetables, every month.
Who would like to help change the world for Njara’s family?
Please send donations with the reference “Family in Need” to:
Mobile Hilfe Madagaskar e.V.
Account 114 184 72 Sort code 795 500 00
Sparkasse Aschaffenburg
IBAN: DE05 7955 0000 00114184 72, BIC: BYLADEM1ASA
Time and again, we see how something good can come out of a terrible situation. We are grateful that we are able to be a blessing in the lives of Njara and her family.
And then there’s the other family – that of the lorry driver. They, too, can now get on with their lives again. We stepped in and helped ease the burden. For our future transports, once we’ve finished building, we have a lorry driver who’s on our side!
And another MHM highlight
Last Monday, 12 August 2019, ‘the day’ had finally arrived – we performed a caesarean section. We carried out the first one back in February with the support of the German surgical team, and now the second, with our own team. And we did it without complications, without problems, without any unforeseen issues. We were all sooo happy.
Mum Miharisoa had already been with us for 10 days, with her waters having broken. And at midday, the baby decided it was time to come into the world. Unfortunately, a natural birth wasn’t possible, as Miharisoa has a congenital spinal deformity.
Take a look at the photos and Facebook posts – pictures are worth a thousand words!
It’s actually always the same story – a wonderful country, broken and non-existent infrastructure, a lack of funds and knowledge – and that’s exactly where we come in. MHM – is and remains more than just a ray of hope.
Outlook:
Exciting weeks lie ahead for me and my children – we’ll soon be leaving Madagascar for a few weeks to go on a tour of Germany. We look forward to seeing you again and hope you can join us at one of our public events:
29 September 2019 at the OASE Kastellaun
6 October 2019 at the FCG Hanau
9 October 2019 in Höchstadt
11 October 2019 at 7.00 pm at Matthäus Church in Münster
19 October 2019: MHM Autumn Festival at Landgasthof HOCK in 63762 Großostheim-Pflaumheim
More big news coming soon! Until then, I’d like to say once again: Danke, Misaotra, Merci and Thank you!
Yours sincerely,
