Sarah is a Ugandan retailer and mother of five. She has a bachelor’s degree in procurement and logistics but could not find a suitable job after graduating. She runs her family’s retail shop to provide for her family. Her husband works with Kabale municipal council in Uganda as a private auditor. Their firstborn is 13 years old and in secondary school class one, while the lastborn is 3 months old.
Thirteen years ago, Sarah began to experience troubling symptoms, including a neck swelling that has increased in size progressively over time. She found out about it during her first pregnancy, when a friend noticed her neck was swollen. Initially, she attributed the swelling to the pregnancy and believed it would subside after giving birth. However, that was not the case. Eventually, she decided to visit a hospital where surgery was recommended to address the issue. Frightened by the prospect of undergoing surgery, she decided not to proceed with the operation.
Over time, the swelling continued to grow in size, reaching a point where she became anxious about attending public gatherings and chose to stay home instead. Four years ago, she underwent a cancer test, which yielded negative results. Although she doesn’t experience any complications, such as airway blockage, the swelling has become so prominent that it makes her feel extremely self-conscious in public. She was diagnosed with nontoxic goiter. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse.
Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Sarah receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on May 13th at our medical partner’s care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $333, and she and her family need help raising money.
Sarah says, “I hope and believe that I can look normal again through surgery. I pray that I may be able to live a normal life once again. I will continue to run my family’s retail shop after complete recovery.”