Peace is a small scale farmer from Uganda. She got married in 2003, but separated from her husband 10 years later because she could not bear children for their family. She returned to her parents house who are small-scale farmers where she has since been assisting them on the farm. They sell farm produce for their daily basic needs.
Four years ago, Peace began to experience troubling symptoms, including a neck swelling that has been progressively growing in size. She decided to see a doctor who confirmed she had a goitre. Peace was given treatment but the swelling didn’t disappear, so she tried herbal medication but it did not help either. Currently, she experiences chest pains whenever she coughs, she cannot turn her neck comfortably, and she feels dizzy whenever she travels around. She also experiences airway blockage and has had to completely stop farming.
Peace decided to visit Rushoroza Hospital at last to seek treatment. She was diagnosed with non-toxic goitre and after a review by the surgeon, a thyroidectomy is recommended. Peace needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse, however her family cannot afford the surgery.
Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Peace receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on October 5th 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.
Pease says, “I hope to live a normal life again. I hope to get relieved of the neck swelling through surgery so that I can comfortably continue my day-to-day activities especially farming.”