Lucy, 14, began to experience toothache aged 12 – which grew more and more severe. After the tooth fell out, the pain remained – then her cheek began to swell up too
A teenage girl whose toothache turned out to be a tumour which grew to the size of an orange has had life-saving surgery to remove it.
Lucy, 14, began to experience toothache aged 12 – which grew more and more severe. Even after the tooth fell out, the pain remained – then her cheek began to swell up too. It turned out to be a fast-growing tumour on Lucy’s right cheek – likely caused by an infection. As the tumour continued to grow, the pain got worse and Lucy started having to miss school because of it.
Her family – from Port Loko, Sierra Leone – grew concerned for her health as they couldn’t afford a trip to hospital, until they learned a charity hospital ship called Global Mercy had docked nearby in Freetown. The ship – run by charity Mercy Ships – offered free surgeries and Lucy was told a volunteer oral maxillofacial surgeon could operate.
After going under the knife in September 2023, Lucy recovered and was soon able to return to school, where she is now thriving. Lucy said: “I wasn’t feeling good when I had that thing on my face, because I did not like the shape of my face. I was ashamed because among my friends nobody has it.
“I was the only one with the big thing on my face. Now, after the surgery, I feel good.” When Lucy first began to experience toothache, she had no idea why – and the pain continued even after her tooth came out. The tumour began to grow and Lucy became quiet and withdrawn due to how different she looked.
She often had to skip school due to pain and Lucy’s condition became worse because of a lack of proper medical care and education. Lucy’s mother, Isatu, said: “It began to swell. I got her local herbs, but that did not help. We never went to the hospital. We did not have the money to go.
“Lucy is bold, but when the other children started to laugh at her, she became very quiet.” Thankfully, Sierra Leone’s government is working to strengthen its surgical and dental care system through strategic partnerships with organisations like Mercy Ships, which focuses on long-term education, training, and advocacy.
With the arrival of the world’s largest hospital ship, the Global Mercy, to Sierra Leone, Lucy’s family heard free surgery would be possible. Dr Didier-David Malis, a Mercy Ships volunteer oral maxillofacial surgeon, from Switzerland, who operated on Lucy’s tumour, said: “It was a fairly large and destructive tumour, affecting her bone and soft tissues.
“It is an aggressive tumour, which could change her appearance from a functional and visual standpoint, impacting her relationship with others and dysfunction in terms of swallowing and speaking. Her eye has also been affected by being pushed away from the bed by the tumour.”
The five-hour extensive surgery was a success. Lucy continued to stay on board the Global Mercy in one of the hospital wards, regaining her strength as she healed. Jeri Harper, a volunteer paediatric nurse, said: “She’s the first person that ever got me up dancing at work because when she wanted you to do something, you did it.
“She’s kind to other people. She became the centre of everything that went on in that ward.” After making a full recovery and leaving the hospital ship, Lucy was welcomed home by a cheering crowd. After the orange-sized tumour had been removed, her own uncle barely recognised her.
She has returned to school now and dreams of becoming a doctor – inspired in part by the treatment she received on board Global Mercy. Lucy said: “I missed school so much. My favourite subject in school is science. I want to become a doctor in the future because I want to help people when they are sick.”
