Lalao thought nothing of the small bump that appeared on her right cheek more than a decade ago.
Yet, over the course of several years, the bump swelled in size – resembling a large bag of marbles.
Eventually, the mass grew to weigh 11 pounds – and the sheer size of it prevented the school teacher from turning her head.
The mother of four, from Madagascar, sought help from local doctors – and was told there was nothing they could do for her.
In desperation, the now 50-year-old waited in line for eight hours to ask a team of experts if surgeons on board Mercy Ships – a charity hospital ship – could remove the mass.
She was admitted on to the vessel in November 2015 after it docked in Toamasina – and two days later, her tumor was removed in one operation.
‘The next morning, I just woke and it was gone. Finally, l was free of that big mass,’ Lalao said.
Lalao (pictured), 50, noticed a bump on her right cheek 14 years ago and assumed it’d disappear. But eventually, the bump grew into a mass that weighed 11 pounds and prevented her from moving her head
Lalao ended up staying on board Mercy Ships for two weeks, though her face started showing signs of improvement after only a few days. Her husband Alfred cried when she came back from the operating room
Lalao assumed the lump growing on her face would merely ‘disappear’ in time, after it first appeared 14 years ago.
It didn’t hurt – or attract any negative comments – so she didn’t think it was anything to worry about.
She said: ‘The people in my village know me and my husband, Albert, well, and so they looked beyond my appearance.’
But over time, the tumor grew bigger and bigger – to the extent that she had to wrap a scarf around it to hide it.
Lalao eventually couldn’t even move her head to the right, and also found it difficult to sleep.
She went to a local hospital in Madagascar for help, where she was told treatment would cost 400,000 Malagsy Ariary – or £80 ($115) – up front.
The doting mother paid the fee, and was added to a waiting list.
The mother-of-four said the lump grew so big she was forced to cover it with a scarf, left. She sought help from doctors at two local hospitals in Madagascar, but they informed her there was nothing they could do
But, she was later informed that doctors at the hospital would not be able to operate on her.
She didn’t receive her money back – and had to pay another £80 ($115) to be added to a waiting list at a second hospital.
Yet, the school teacher was again told that the surgeons wouldn’t be able to remove the tumor.
At that point, the tumor had grown so large that it weighed nearly a stone.
‘I gave up hope. I thought I would never get help,’ Lalao said. ‘We had no money and I was deeply discouraged.’
However, her husband, Alfred, refused to give up – determined to get his wife the medical care she so desperately needed.
The couple had heard that a baby from their village – who also had a tumor – had it successfully removed by the team aboard Mercy Ships.
The charity’s hospital ship sails around Africa, providing free life-saving surgery to people who wouldn’t otherwise have access to medical care.
At Alfred’s insistence, Lalao went to a screening in Atananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, to see if she was eligible for treatment.
The first day of the screening, the line was endless, so Lalao left.
Lalao (pictured) was admitted to Mercy Ships in November 2015 – and underwent surgery two days later. The team of experts were able to remove the mass in one operation
She returned the following day at 3am, hoping the line would be shorter, but once again found herself waiting behind hundreds of people.
Lalao said: ‘When I started to queue for help, there were about 200 people ahead of me, all with disabilities and conditions I’d never seen before.
‘I wondered if they could treat people like me, but I thought “Even if I have to be in line for two weeks, I’m going to wait”.’
Eight hours later, she was relaying her medical history to a team of experts.
They examined her face – and within 90 minutes, gave her an appointment card for surgery on board a Mercy Ships vessel.
The boat was due to dock in Toamasina,and the family had to sell a pig to pay for transport to the ship.
On November 30, last year Lalao was admitted on board the hospital ship – and two days later, the surgery had been completed.
Lalao’s husband Alfred, said: ‘I was so happy when she came back from the operating room that I cried.
‘It was amazing that they could remove the growth in one surgery.’
In total, Lalao stayed onboard the Mercy Ship vessel for two weeks to recover – though her face started showing improvement after just a few days.
And now, months later, Lalao is feeling happy and healthy – and looking forward to getting her life back on track.
Alfred (left) and Lalao (right) are now sharing their story to inform others about the help that Mercy Ships can provide them. The couple said they are incredibly grateful for the charity’s assistance
‘I feel very, very happy. I’m in good health and now I can turn my neck,’ she said.
‘I’m looking forward to returning to teaching and being able to help work on the family farm when I’m stronger, too.’
Alfred and Lalao have vowed to share their story to spread awareness of the help that Mercy Ships can provide other people in need.
Lalao said: ‘And if you have this kind of problem, they can help you, too. We thank everyone who took care of us.’
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