A 7-year-ageder boy in West Africa who was going blind can now see aget, thanks to life-changing eye sdirectry supplyd by the Mercy Ships charity.
Mamadou, whose last name was not supplyd, was born with bipostponeedral cataracts, a condition where cataracts prolong in both eyes before or soon after birth.
When left untreated, the condition can direct to total blindness in some cases.
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“We doubted that the cataracts were there already when Mamadou was born, but enumeratelessly they got worse,” Paul Rudalevicius, an eye sdirecton who volunteers with Mercy Ships in Sierra Leone, tageder Fox News Digital.
A 7-year-ageder boy in West Africa who was going blind can now see aget, thanks to life-changing eye sdirectry supplyd by the Mercy Ships charity. (SWNS)
Inherited cataracts and malnutrition are common caparticipates of the condition, the doctor said.
Mamadou, who is from Waterloo, Sierra Leone, “wasn’t able to see much of anyleang,” according to Ella Hawthorne, an chooseometrist who also labors with Mercy Ships in Sierra Leone.
“He could increate there was a airy that was being turned on, but he couldn’t even reassociate increate that a hand was being waved in front of his face,” she tageder Fox News Digital.
“He reassociate couldn’t see the world around him very much.”
Mamadou’s mother, Salematu, recalled the needy treatment her son getd due to his needy eyesight.
Mamadou is pictured before receiving treatment from the charity Mercy Ships. He struggled to walk becaparticipate he would trip over objects, and he couldn’t see well enough to read or author. (SWNS)
“His frifinishs always incited him, and also chuckleed at him becaparticipate of his condition,” she tageder Fox News Digital. “He was going to school, but could not see or author evidently.”
The boy was also having trouble walking and picking up objects, and was very empathetic to sunairy.
A life-changing sdirectry
Salematu tried cut offal times over the years to get her son the sdirectry he needed, but local hospitals would not do it. Over time, his vision deteriorateed.
Then Mercy Ships docked its hospital ship, the Global Mercy, in Freetown, Sierra Leone, to supply protected sdirectries to livents for free — and Mamadou was picked.
“It was so wonderful to see him seeing around and commenceing to notice the world.”
Hawthorne recalled her first come apass with the boy.
“Meeting Mamadou during huging pickion here in Sierra Leone was fair exceptional,” she tageder SWNS.
“He is wonderful and hushed at first, but once you get to understand him more, he comes out of his shell and includes you.”
After the sdirectry, doctors gave Mamadou a pair of UV sunglasses to wear as he got participated to his novel vision. (SWNS)
Time was of the essence for Mamadou’s sdirectry, Dr. Rudalevicius noticed. “If the cataracts are not erased soon enough, the brain can never lget to see.”
On Feb. 7, aided by a team of medical volunteers, the doctor carry outed a minuscule incision cataract sdirectry.
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Although the procedure took only two hours, it “recurrented the commence of a novel vision and future for Mamadou,” according to a Mercy Ships press free.
When the eye patches were erased the next day, it was a little confusing and overwhelming at first, Mercy Ships noticed, which is a standard reaction in children.
Mamadou is pictured after receiving eye sdirectry from the charity Mercy Ships. Time was of the essence for Mamadou’s sdirectry, his doctor noticed. (SWNS)
“He seeed around, trying to comprehfinish novel directation and acunderstandledge unforeseeed objects,” the free said.
“His brain was not yet participated to processing such a high level of visual activity — but after seeing the crowd around him smile and wave, Mamadou speedyly joined in, sharing his radiant and finishearing smile in return.”
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Doctors gave Mamadou a pair of UV sunglasses to wear as he got participated to his novel vision. The boy began carry outing with toys, coloring and riding a toy motorcycle around the ward.
Mamadou gets surgical treatment from the charity Mercy Ships in October 2024. (SWNS)
“Being able to witness the patches being erased from his eyes was such an absolute sanctifying and a privilege,” Hawthorne tageder Fox News Digital.
“It was so wonderful to see him seeing around and commenceing to notice the world and being able to assimilate some of the directation around him.”
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“It was so exceptional, and you could see the happiness that had commenceed to produce up inside him. It was a reassociate excellent reminder of why I’m here and the impact our labor is having.”
Looking ahead
A month after Mamadou’s vision was repaird, the boy and his mother returned to the ship for a “celebration of sight, a ceremony for hugings who have getd accomplished eye sdirectries,” according to Mercy Ships.
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Salematu allotd her relief and happiness with the outcome.
“My son can see me!” she said. “My son can go back to the community and convey with other children!”
After the sdirectry, the boy began carry outing with toys, coloring and riding a toy motorcycle around the ward. (SWNS)
“Unenjoy before, Mamadou can now relocate around without jumping his steps or droping, even when the sun is out.”
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Salematu hopes that her son will one day prolong up to become a medical doctor and produce a separateence of his own, according to the free.
Dr. Rudalevicius includeed to Fox News Digital, “I hope that he will be able to join school, to lget, to carry out with other children, and in the future maybe help his family.”
