A Race to Save Yousif
Animal Bite Paralyzes Young Boy
Twelve-year-old Yousif was hunting with his dog in the muggy heat of a spring day outside his village. He enjoyed wandering through the forested terrain and hunting for small animals that he would bring home to help feed the family.
Today was a successful day. His dog caught a squirrel and brought it to the boy. Yousif felt proud. He would be contributing food for his family’s meal tonight.
As Yousif took the squirrel from his dog’s mouth, the rodent sunk its teeth into the boy’s hand in a manic attempt to escape. The bite was painful and immediately Yousif’s hand began to swell. But he ignored the injury, and continued on his way home. The family assumed it was not serious, expecting the swelling to go down on its own. As a result, no steps were taken to treat the swelling or the site of the wound.
Yousif went another two weeks without treatment of any sort. But on day seventeen following the bite incident, he began to break out in welts all over his body. He suddenly became very ill.
At this point, Yousif’s parents took him to their local health clinic in Kordofan. They gave the boy some medicine and he stayed at the clinic for four days to observe whether he improved.
But Yousif wasn’t responding to the medicine. The welts across his body didn’t recede. He was growing sicker. And even more terrifying, paralysis was starting to set in throughout his body.
As this chilling reaction developed, the clinic told Yousif’s parents they were going to send their son to Mother of Mercy Hospital. Yousif was rushed by ambulance to the Sudan Relief Fund partner facility in the Nuba Mountains, the only hospital of its kind for hundreds of miles. Even by ambulance, the trip took four hours. The clinic hoped Mother of Mercy could give Yousif the help he needed – it was his last chance.
By the time Yousif arrived at Mother of Mercy Hospital, he could no longer move. He had become fully paralyzed. He had rashes all over his body. Dr. Tom Catena and his team sprang into action to treat the critically ill boy.
Yousif received immediate injections to counterattack the deadly reaction he was having, as everyone held their breath to see if his body would respond. The diagnosis was correct – and the medicine worked. It was a critical turning point that would save young Yousif’s life.
Slowly his body began to fight its way back. The welts and rashes that covered his body started to disappear. His ability to move began to return. By the grace of God, his mobility was soon fully restored. Yousif would make a complete and miraculous recovery.
Yousif was discharged from the hospital alongside an ecstatic mother, who hadn’t been sure this day would come. Yousif was well and was going home.
But this twelve year-old boy only survived because the medical care he needed was there for him at a critical moment – lifesaving care that supporters like you make possible every single day, at a remote mission hospital in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan.
These stories of Lives Saved are possible because of generous donors who bring medical care to people and places without it. Mother of Mercy Hospital and the medicines used to treat patients like Yousif are fully funded by charitable donations. Thank you for saving lives and bringing hope.
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