in 2013 I was asked to cover breast cancer in Uganda breast cancer has less
cancer in Uganda breast cancer has less
cancer in Uganda breast cancer has less than a handful of oncologists in the
than a handful of oncologists in the
than a handful of oncologists in the whole country
whole country
whole country a woman who has breast cancer thinks of
a woman who has breast cancer thinks of
a woman who has breast cancer thinks of it as a death sentence most of the
it as a death sentence most of the
it as a death sentence most of the resources in Uganda went to hiv/aids so
resources in Uganda went to hiv/aids so
resources in Uganda went to hiv/aids so cancer is something that is sort of just
cancer is something that is sort of just
cancer is something that is sort of just seen as a curse this is Mary she had
seen as a curse this is Mary she had
seen as a curse this is Mary she had been living with tumors for several
been living with tumors for several
been living with tumors for several years but didn’t want to tell anyone she
years but didn’t want to tell anyone she
years but didn’t want to tell anyone she was ashamed there was a team of American
was ashamed there was a team of American
was ashamed there was a team of American doctors from Seattle who went to try and
doctors from Seattle who went to try and
doctors from Seattle who went to try and bring ultrasound technology to detect
bring ultrasound technology to detect
bring ultrasound technology to detect tumors early when she took off her shirt
tumors early when she took off her shirt
tumors early when she took off her shirt this is what we saw and they did a
this is what we saw and they did a
this is what we saw and they did a biopsy on Mary and it turned out the
biopsy on Mary and it turned out the
biopsy on Mary and it turned out the cancer was very localized and she was
cancer was very localized and she was
cancer was very localized and she was able to get a mastectomy and survived
able to get a mastectomy and survived
able to get a mastectomy and survived this is jolly and her husband she had
this is jolly and her husband she had
this is jolly and her husband she had gotten a mastectomy a year before and
gotten a mastectomy a year before and
gotten a mastectomy a year before and did not follow up and I spent five days
did not follow up and I spent five days
did not follow up and I spent five days with her until she died and this is her
with her until she died and this is her
with her until she died and this is her daughter seeing her mother in the casket
daughter seeing her mother in the casket
daughter seeing her mother in the casket she didn’t even know her her mother had
she didn’t even know her her mother had
she didn’t even know her her mother had passed away she just got a call and was
passed away she just got a call and was
passed away she just got a call and was pulled out of boarding school and when
pulled out of boarding school and when
pulled out of boarding school and when she came into the truck they just opened
she came into the truck they just opened
she came into the truck they just opened the lid and there was her mother and I
the lid and there was her mother and I
the lid and there was her mother and I was crying so hard when I took this
was crying so hard when I took this
was crying so hard when I took this picture it’s completely out of focus and
picture it’s completely out of focus and
picture it’s completely out of focus and that’s Jali’s bed about a half an hour
that’s Jali’s bed about a half an hour
that’s Jali’s bed about a half an hour after she died they’re cleaning it and
after she died they’re cleaning it and
after she died they’re cleaning it and getting ready for another woman and this
getting ready for another woman and this
getting ready for another woman and this is there was one radiation machine that
is there was one radiation machine that
is there was one radiation machine that serves four countries it works 24 hours
serves four countries it works 24 hours
serves four countries it works 24 hours a day this is Jessie she was trying to
a day this is Jessie she was trying to
a day this is Jessie she was trying to get chemotherapy she had two sons and
get chemotherapy she had two sons and
get chemotherapy she had two sons and was determined to stay alive but she
was determined to stay alive but she
was determined to stay alive but she didn’t have $10 to take the bus back
didn’t have $10 to take the bus back
didn’t have $10 to take the bus back home to see her children in between
home to see her children in between
home to see her children in between chemo treatments so she slept outside of
chemo treatments so she slept outside of
chemo treatments so she slept outside of the hospital for two months she has to
the hospital for two months she has to
the hospital for two months she has to change her own bandages at every day
change her own bandages at every day
change her own bandages at every day because there was no one available to do
because there was no one available to do
because there was no one available to do that this is her finally getting chemo
that this is her finally getting chemo
that this is her finally getting chemo and she’s leaving the hospital to go see
and she’s leaving the hospital to go see
and she’s leaving the hospital to go see her children this is her on the bus ride
her children this is her on the bus ride
her children this is her on the bus ride back and her sister washing her when she
back and her sister washing her when she
back and her sister washing her when she gets home and this is her with her
gets home and this is her with her
gets home and this is her with her children and Jessie died about six
children and Jessie died about six
children and Jessie died about six months after that story
”
Be First to Comment