Record Breaking Cataract Outreach in Ghana

In November, HCP supported two cataract outreach campaigns in Ghana. The first outreach was held in the western region of Ghana, in Sefwi-Wiawso and Tarkwa. Led by Dr. Boateng Wiafe, who is also affiliated with Canadian NGO Operation EyeSight Universal, 175 surgeries were performed, including 5 pediatric surgeries. The following is a short patient story captured at this outreach:

Maame Serwaa had been bilaterally blind for over 2 years. She resisted having to travel far away from home to get treatment at the outreach. When her children brought her, she only agreed to have her left eye operated on. After her surgery she was able to see her 2 year old granddaughter for the first time. Filled with joy, she asked to be added to the list of patients the following day to have the cataract in her right eye removed. Pledged to return with four friends from her village who needed surgery, and she thanked everyone who made it possible for people like her to regain their sight.

The second outreach effort was in Keta, located in the Volta Region of Ghana, and we had our largest outreach in Ghana to date providing 444 sight restoring surgeries, November 13 - 17!

This outreach was led collaboratively by teams from Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) and Korle Bu Teaching Hospital including Dr. Frimpong, Dr. Raymond, Dr. Aikins, Dr. Fordjour, HCP super volunteer James Garrett and HCP Affiliated Ophthalmologist Dr. John Welling. We were also lucky to have a wonderful group of guests and volunteers from Alder Security, based in Orem, Utah, who provided support to the surgical teams and captured the beautiful photos provided here. The group included CEO Adam Schanz, Mitch Hamilton, James Edwards, Nathan Schanz, Jake Dahl and Photographer Kevin Cox. James Edwards had this to say about his experience:

“My experience in Ghana with HCP was nothing short of life changing. I knew before hand we would be working hard and with a lot of people who live in poverty. I had no idea that meant starting our day before the sun rises and ending it well past when the sun sets, working with hundreds and hundreds of men, women and children. Hoards of people came from all over to see these doctors in hopes of fixing their eyesight. Witnessing their hope and eagerness to see again was inspiring. Just as amazing as these people coming from all over the country was that the doctors performing these cataract surgeries would sit in the operating room for hours on end. Never leaving their station. Working relentlessly and consistently in getting as many eye surgeries done as possible. I was blown away with these doctors commitment to these people that they didn’t know. It was one of the most beautiful and self sacrificing things I’ve ever seen. It gave me a huge desire to come out and do this again. I can’t explain the amount of gratitude I had for being apart of this and working with these people. It’s beyond words. I can’t wait to do it again.”