NEED magazine | Issue 1 | Health

the humanitarian magazine

We are not out to save the world, but to tell the stories
of those who are.

health \| writer: matthew pritchard photographer: scott harrison
viewing advisory: the graphic images you are about to see were taken aboard the mercy ship anastasis. the conditions in these photographs occur in all countries, races and genders. however, with no access to the most basic health care, these disorders, if left untreated, can become life threatening.
before	after
name: harris age: 34 condition: benign facial tumor

Alienated and exploited by his neighbors, Harris was known as "the man with the tumor down by the sea." What began as a toothache 13 years ago, slowly grew into a 6 1/2 pound weight that forced Harris to move away from his ridiculing neighbors and seek refuge and livelihood from the sea. Harris' mouth struggled around the tumor, but his eyes were constantly alight and he seemed to have an uplifting smile. Without surgery, Mercy Ships doctors predicted that Harris had two months to live.	After a seven-hour surgery, Harris leapt towards recovery. However, he had to relearn the basics: how to eat, speak and laugh. Just one month after his trip to the Anastasis, Harris went home. No longer the "man with the tumor down by the sea", Harris was an instant celebrity.

name: assan and alusan ages: approximately 2 condition: congenital bilateral cataracts

Since birth, cataracts in both eyes blinded identical twins Assan and Alusan. This caused their eyes to be sunken and to roll around uncontrollably. Living outside Monrovia, Liberia, these young boys had never seen their mother, each other or the poverty they were born into. Without access to basic health care, the twins would never see.	Assan and Alusan were led to the Anastasis and saw their way out two days later with their new 20/20 vision. Cataract surgery, a common medical procedure, had given them a world of light and opportunity. Following surgery and a 24-hour recovery period, the twins visited family. Their first exploratory steps exploded into an exciting game of tag.

name: marthaline age: approximately 35 condition: benign mandibular tumor

Abandoned by her husband, Marthaline was left on the outskirts of Monrovia to care for her three children. The three-year-old tumor that spilled from Marthaline’s mouth was slowly beginning to suffocate her. Rejected by her neighbors and not treated like a human, Marthaline had bought the poison for her suicide.	Marthaline’s life-saving surgery onboard the Anastasis lasted 90 minutes—enough time to restore hope, respect and dignity. Because Mercy Ships’ crewmembers had developed a friendship with Marthaline during her stay, they raised money through their local church to pay for her college tuition.

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