Uganda Day 6: Final Surgeries and Farewells
Our final day of surgeries began with one of our most anticipated cases—Gum, the young boy we met on Monday who suffered severe burns after putting his arm in a boiling pot of food. Today, we successfully grafted skin from his leg to repair the damage. To make his recovery special, our team created a stuffed dog for him to comfort him during his healing journey. It was incredibly meaningful to see this little warrior finally receive the surgery he desperately needed and be reunited with his mother.
The day was filled with touching moments beyond the operating room. Dr. David brought his guitar and serenaded team member Lori with “Happy Birthday,” adding joy to our final surgical day. Our last plastics patient was a child who had fallen into a fire—we carefully cleaned his wounds and applied fresh bandages. But perhaps the most memorable moment came when we organized a dance party right in the burn unit. All of these brave children have suffered severe burns, yet their spirits soared as music filled the ward and smiles replaced the pain, even if just for a moment.
Another successful round of CPR classes took place today, with eager students bringing our total number of people trained to over 200 throughout the week. These life-saving skills will continue to impact the community long after we’ve returned home. The significance of our week wasn’t lost on the hospital administration—Lacor interviewed our team leaders Pepper and Mark about our success for the week and the healing we’ve been able to provide for the people of Uganda.
As we wrapped up surgeries for the week and began packing up to leave Gulu, the emotions were overwhelming. Tomorrow brings the difficult task of patient follow ups and saying goodbye to patients, staff, and community that have touched our hearts so deeply. We are sad to leave, but our hearts are completely full. The impact of this week will stay with us forever, just as we hope the healing we’ve provided will continue to transform lives here in Uganda. We can’t wait to reunite with this incredible community next year.