10 millionth cataract operation
Joyce Kaaya - One in ten million!
Transcript
Joyce Kayaa lives in Tanzania.
She has small farm.
Since about nine months, she has needed help with doing her chores
Joyce suffers from cataracts and is almost blind.
With just a simple operation, costing
about €30, she can be helped.
The day before her operation
she receives visitors from Germany -
former skiing champions Rosi Mittermaier and Christian Neureuther.
They want to be there when Joyce has her operation
because this will be the 10 millionth cataract operation
performed by CBM.
The German ophthalmologist Heiko Philippin will operate.
He is optimistic.
"If it's only a matter of cataracts, the prognosis is very good.
The problem with cataracts, especially if it's as advanced as this,
is that the posterior part of the eye cannot be examined.
There might possibly be a second eye problem lurking.
But since it's not very likely, the prognosis is good."
After a bus ride of several hours
Joyce Kayaa arrives at her destination.
In the eye clinic of the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre
- a well established CBM partner since more than four decades -
everything has already been prepared for the operation.
Expertly, Dr Philippin removes the densely clouded lens of the eye
and replaces it with a synthetic one
- a simple but highly effective procedure
with profound consequences for Joyce Kayaa's life.
Already the following day the bandage is removed.
Joyce can see again!
"It was so exciting,
first the bandage, she was very calm
then the tension, can she see any better?
and then she relaxes and suddenly, joy sets in
and you realise, waow, it worked, she can see!
And I think the first three letters of
her name are symbolic for this day".
Already the next day
Joyce can go home.
Together with her grandson, she makes a tour around her farm.
Now she doesn't need help any longer,
the operation has changed her life with a lasting effect.
10 million cataract operations!
That's quite an achievement.
It has only been made possible
because of the involvement of CBM
and thanks to the support of its donors.
The story of Joyca Kayaa (from Tanzania) receiving CBM's 10 millionth cataract operation
Joyce Kayaa's vision began deteriorating nine months ago due to cataracts, with the result that she was struggling to care for herself and her livestock. On 28 October 2010 she was successfully operated on by Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC), in Moshi, Tanzania. This symbolically marks the 10 millionth cataract surgery in CBM-supported programmes throughout the world.
Like a dream
For nine months, Joyce's vision has been deteriorating. She owns cows and chickens, but has been struggling to care for her livestock because of her poor vision. She relies on the help of others.
Her family have not let her down, but they have made great sacrifices. Her son Ombeni stopped his training as a gardener and her niece Esther gave up her job to help Joyce.
She was screened by doctors from CBM-supported KCMC hospital in Moshi, and could not quite believe what she was told... The problem was cataracts, and it could be cured!
To be able to see again sounded too good to be true! It was the same for her father, who, some years ago, had his vision restored by KCMC.
"If this comes true life will be like a dream for my mother“, said her son, Ombeni.
A promising sign, and goals for the future
-
©CBM / argum / Einberger
-
Dr Philippin examines Joyce in her home
For the German ophthalmologist Dr. Heiko Philippin, this prognosis is not unusual. In Tanzania, cataract is the most common cause for blindness and – this is the good news – curable through an operation.
The ophthalmologist from Freiburg says Joyce Kaaya is a good example for the successful information campaigns of the KCMC hospital.
"In the past", says the young father, "we missed a lot of people until they’d been blind for some years. But Joyce has only been suffering from cataracts for about nine months and even has some residual vision. It would have been perfect if we could have operated on her nine months ago – then her blindness could have been prevented completely. That is our big goal for the people here in the region below the Kilimanjaro - to operate before blindness sets in."
The ophthalmologist from Freiburg says Joyce Kaaya is a good example for the successful information campaigns of the KCMC hospital.
"In the past", says the young father, "we missed a lot of people until they’d been blind for some years. But Joyce has only been suffering from cataracts for about nine months and even has some residual vision. It would have been perfect if we could have operated on her nine months ago – then her blindness could have been prevented completely. That is our big goal for the people here in the region below the Kilimanjaro - to operate before blindness sets in."
The operation - and success!
-
©CBM / argum / Einberger
-
Joyce with the surgical team from the Department of Ophthalmology, KCMC Hospital
Before the operation, Joyce was calm and serene, and after another short examination Dr Philippin was sure of success.
The operation itself went swiftly and smoothly. Dr Philippin is used to performing these procedures, in what he calls the 'most beautiful operating theatre in the world'. When the weather is fine Kilimanjaro can be seen through the window!
But there is rarely time to admire the scenery. There are always too many surgeries scheduled, with four operating tables working in parallel.
After the operation, Joyce was happy, thanking God and CBM and looking forward to reading from her bible again!
