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.”