Samira Sirer Tia

Meet Samira Sirer Tia. She is 25 years old and a busy mother from the village of Dabakaya in South Sudan. Earlier this year Samira became pregnant, but this time things were different than usual. From the outset she began to feel dizzy and weak. Soon this became so severe that she went to the nearest clinic to find out what was wrong. Samira spent seven days at that clinic but was eventually discharged. They told Samira she lacked blood, but the clinic could not do blood transfusions. So she was released and went home.

In just three days’ time Samira grew far worse and became so weak she couldn’t even move on her own. To move anywhere she had to be carried. She was taken to a different clinic where the staff referred her to the Mother of Mercy Hospital for further medical management.

It was nearly a ten-hour drive from Samira’s village to Mother of Mercy Hospital, a facility supported by the Sudan Relief Fund and made possible by the support donors. At six months pregnant, Samira was severely anemic and had a hemoglobin count of only 3.0. (A normal range for a woman is 12 to 15.) This was a life-threatening condition resulting in severe anemia since she did not have enough red blood cells to carry oxygen to her body. Samira was immediately admitted for critical care and remained for several weeks.

Thanks to her treatment at Mother of Mercy Hospital, Samira can now walk on her own again. Her pregnancy progressed well and she had a successful delivery. Samira is extremely grateful to God for the gift of her life and to Dr. Tom Catena and his staff for her recovery. She sends her message of gratitude to those who support Mother of Mercy Hospital. Because of you, this expectant mother was able to receive the lifesaving treatment she and her baby urgently needed.

Rashida Ibrahim

Rashida Ibrahim says that without the help she received at Mother of Mercy Hospital, she wouldn’t be alive today to share her story.

Mother of Mercy Hospital is a referral hospital in the Nuba Mountains of South Sudan, the only trauma center in a 300-mile radius serving over 250,000 Sudanese. Missionary Dr. Tom Catena and his staff work around the clock to help patients who couldn’t be helped elsewhere.

Rashida is a mother of 4 children living in Rabak, though she is originally from Gharbia in the western Nuba Mountains. When giving birth to her fourth child, she struggled through a difficult delivery. Four months postpartum she began to experience heart palpitations and trouble breathing. She was taken by ambulance to the city of Khartoum and admitted to a hospital, but was later told she would have to come back in a month to obtain an appointment to see a doctor.

When she returned a month later there was no doctor available to see her. Because of difficulties developing from COVID-19 and the rainy season, numerous private healthcare facilities had shut down completely.

Rashida stayed at home until she could no longer endure the struggle to breathe. This time she went to Mother of Mercy hospital in her childhood region of the Nuba Mountains for help. After reviewing her case, Dr. Tom told Rashida her heart was weakened and she was suffering from ascites (excess abdominal fluid) from a swollen liver. She was immediately admitted to the hospital to receive treatment.

Fortunately, Rashida has seen great improvement. It is no longer a huge struggle for her to breathe. Her liver has improved and the swelling from fluid in her abdomen has gone down. Rashida says without the hospital, she wouldn’t have lived. She is thankful to the nurses, doctors, and supportive donors who made this possible for her. “I wish them a long life that they may continue to help many more poor people. God bless.”

Rashida Ibrahim

Rashida Ibrahim says that without the help she received at Mother of Mercy Hospital, she wouldn’t be alive today to share her story.

Mother of Mercy Hospital is a referral hospital in the Nuba Mountains of South Sudan, the only trauma center in a 300-mile radius serving over 250,000 Sudanese. Missionary Dr. Tom Catena and his staff work around the clock to help patients who couldn’t be helped elsewhere.

Rashida is a mother of 4 children living in Rabak, though she is originally from Gharbia in the western Nuba Mountains. When giving birth to her fourth child, she struggled through a difficult delivery. Four months postpartum she began to experience heart palpitations and trouble breathing. She was taken by ambulance to the city of Khartoum and admitted to a hospital, but was later told she would have to come back in a month to obtain an appointment to see a doctor.

When she returned a month later there was no doctor available to see her. Because of difficulties developing from COVID-19 and the rainy season, numerous private healthcare facilities had shut down completely.

Rashida stayed at home until she could no longer endure the struggle to breathe. This time she went to Mother of Mercy hospital in her childhood region of the Nuba Mountains for help. After reviewing her case, Dr. Tom told Rashida her heart was weakened and she was suffering from ascites (excess abdominal fluid) from a swollen liver. She was immediately admitted to the hospital to receive treatment.

Fortunately, Rashida has seen great improvement. It is no longer a huge struggle for her to breathe. Her liver has improved and the swelling from fluid in her abdomen has gone down. Rashida says without the hospital, she wouldn’t have lived. She is thankful to the nurses, doctors, and supportive donors who made this possible for her. “I wish them a long life that they may continue to help many more poor people. God bless.”