Tony & Ann Giles
Tony and Ann are from Bedfordshire. Tony is an Oral and Maxillofacial surgeon, "retired" from the NHS. Ann is a nurse. Together they have been serving with Mercy Ships in West Africa, improving quality of life for many people via head and neck surgery. Tony and Ann divide their time between the Africa Mercy, increasing teaching roles and coming home to see their six daughters and undertake locum work.
For further information on the work of Mercy Ships visit www.mercyships.org
Updates from Tony and Ann:
News - January 2012
This is our third Team visit to The Hope Medical Center and we find we
always have an amazing and busy time.
We had an eventful journey here just over a week ago, starting on the plane
from Paris to Conakry which was delayed as someone was being deported.
The
delay meant that our Airport Screeing in Conakry was delayed and we also
could not travel to Mamou that night as hoped. We spent a night in the Cama
guesthouse in Conakry and then travelled to Kissidougou screening patients by the roadside en route.
We had a very bumpy ride on a section of very poor road but
arrived here unscathed on Sunday late afternoon. Monday saw us screening a
large number of pre-screened patients - over 120 potentials, many of whom
will need the special facilities only the Ship can treat, but we are aiming
to do surgeries here on as many as possible.
We are making Cleft Lip patients a priority as there is a very able Surgeon
here, Dr Jean Yaradouno, and Tony and he are doing all the surgeries
together. Jean is quick to learn new techniques and we are hoping that the
staff here will be able to continue to treat cleft lips after we have gone.
We have treated 8 cleft lips so far and reconstructed two lips on other
patients: one whole lower lip, which had been removed for cancer and one
half upper lip lost in a noma infection.
All the patients are doing very well - except they may be smiling too
much!
We remain excited about what we are seeing the Lord do in Africa, but it is small steps, one at a time!
Tony and Ann
