Harimalala Freed from 12-Year Goiter After Life-Saving Mercy Ships Surgery in Madagascar.
After 12 years of pain, shame, and limited access to care, 24-year-old Harimalala from Mankara, Madagascar, has received life-changing surgery aboard a Mercy Ships hospital vessel, removing a 1.35-kilogram goiter that had threatened her life.
The growth, which began as a sore throat at age 12, slowly expanded into a massive neck mass that severely impacted her breathing, mobility, and self-esteem. “I couldn’t bend, run, or carry water. People stared and gossiped. I stopped going to school. I felt ashamed,” said Harimalala, reflecting on her experience.
Her condition is classified as a multinodular goiter, a common thyroid pathology that, if untreated, compresses the airway and escalates to a critical state. With nearly 93% of sub-Saharan Africa’s population lacking access to safe, affordable, and timely surgical care, Harimalala had run out of options—until she learned that Mercy Ships had returned to Madagascar.
She traveled alone to Toamasina, where she was welcomed by volunteers aboard the Africa Mercy®, a floating hospital crewed by international medical professionals. The team quickly assessed the severity of her condition, determined she could not safely return home, and admitted her for months of preoperative care at the Hospital OutPatient Extension Center (HOPE).
Leading the surgery was Dr. AJ Collins, who has headed Mercy Ships’ thyroid surgery program for 17 years. He described the goiter as dangerously large and pressing on Harimalala’s airway. “She was very close to a critical point,” said Dr. Collins.
After a complex four-hour operation, the surgical team successfully removed the 1.35 kg mass—nearly two pounds in weight—freeing Harimalala from a condition that had not only endangered her life but isolated her from her community and future.
“I feel like I’ve entered a new life,” Harimalala said, beaming with hope. “Before, I didn’t know if I would live or die. Now I can wear necklaces, go to church again, and even think about getting married and having children.”
Mercy Ships is a faith-based nonprofit that operates the world’s largest non-governmental hospital ships—the Africa Mercy® and Global Mercy™—providing free, life-changing surgeries and training across Africa. The organization also invests in building local surgical capacity through training and infrastructure development.
“This story is a testament to the transformational power of safe surgery,” said Sophie Barnett, International PR Manager at Mercy Ships. “Thanks to thousands of volunteers and generous donors, lives like Harimalala’s are being restored every day.”
