So wonderful!
Can anyone tell me the name of the tumor or disease that these people had, I believe caused by tooth enamel? And, why does it only occur in Africa? I am very curious about this as I have worked in dentistry for 35 years and am not at all familiar with this disease. Also, How does one volunteer to work on this ship? Thank you very much,
Evie maurer
I don't know the name offhand of the tumors, but I do know that they happen here as well. It's just that we would get them removed before they remotely cause a problem because we have access to the medical care and we understand it to be a physical problem. The culture in Africa tends to view medical problems as spiritual problems, with people with tumors being shunned and called a witch or told that they were cursed by a witch. Even if they do realize that it's medical and not spiritual, medical care isn't very affordable so the tumors just keep growing. The major risk is that the people suffocate to death. As far as volunteering goes, if you go to www.mercyships.org, there is a volunteer section and you can get the application and all of that. I worked with them for six months a couple of years ago and it was one of the best experiences of my life. So if you have the time, you should definitely considering doing it! Kaylee Earll
Hi! You can check out the website www.mercyships.org and it will tell you how to volunteer, you can also check them out on facebook under mercy ships. I was on the ship for 6 months and it was an awesome experience!
Hi Evie, The tumor referred to is called an ameloblastoma and are not limited to Africa but found all over the world. In nations with intact medical systems they are treated when they are very small. Please see mercyships.org to find out how to volunteer.
Ameloblastoma is probably the most common one...... it doesn't only occur in Africa, it occurs all over the world. In Western societies, the tumor is dealt with at its early stages so that it doesn't become such a disfiguring problem. Mothers take their little tots into the doctor as soon as a small lump is found. In Africa, because of the lack of access to health care, these small tumor are left untreated and grow to enormous sizes.
The other problem that is typically only seen in underdeveloped areas such as Africa is NOMA. NOMA is a tissue destructive problem that occurs as a result of people who are malnurished and get an infection (even from a seemingly minor traumatic event)..... here is a pretty good description from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noma_(disease)
To volunteer, you best starting point is the MercyShips website. You can check it out here https://www.mercyships.org/volunteer/
Also, if you know someone who has volunteered, I'd strongly suggest you schedule an evening over a couple of cups of coffee and ask them all about their volunteer experience!!
Hope this helps and I encourage you to take the step and VOLUNTEER!!! Everyone has something to contribute aboard the ship!
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Can anyone tell me the name of the tumor or disease that these people had, I believe caused by tooth enamel? And, why does it only occur in Africa? I am very curious about this as I have worked in dentistry for 35 years and am not at all familiar with this disease. Also, How does one volunteer to work on this ship?
Thank you very much,
Evie maurer
As far as volunteering goes, if you go to www.mercyships.org, there is a volunteer section and you can get the application and all of that. I worked with them for six months a couple of years ago and it was one of the best experiences of my life. So if you have the time, you should definitely considering doing it!
Kaylee Earll
The tumor referred to is called an ameloblastoma and are not limited to Africa but found all over the world. In nations with intact medical systems they are treated when they are very small. Please see mercyships.org to find out how to volunteer.
The other problem that is typically only seen in underdeveloped areas such as Africa is NOMA. NOMA is a tissue destructive problem that occurs as a result of people who are malnurished and get an infection (even from a seemingly minor traumatic event)..... here is a pretty good description from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noma_(disease)
To volunteer, you best starting point is the MercyShips website. You can check it out here https://www.mercyships.org/volunteer/
Also, if you know someone who has volunteered, I'd strongly suggest you schedule an evening over a couple of cups of coffee and ask them all about their volunteer experience!!
Hope this helps and I encourage you to take the step and VOLUNTEER!!! Everyone has something to contribute aboard the ship!
Roy