A nurse from Bradford West Gwillimbury is about to set sail on her next big adventure — volunteering on the world’s largest charity hospital ship in western Africa.
Jessie Peck, 24, has worked in cancer and palliative care at Southlake Regional Health Centre for the last few years, but after looking for an opportunity to help others less fortunate, she applied to volunteer three months of her time with Mercy Ships.
The Christian organization provides free surgeries for thousands of patients, travelling to different ports and staying at each for 10 months at a time.
“I always thought it would be neat to use my skills to help people. I know I’ll have a really great experience and learn a lot. It will be challenging,” Peck said.
Working with cancer and palliative care patients now can be emotionally draining, she said, but it has prepared her for dealing with a variety of other medical issues on this journey.
“Whatever comes will come. I think I can be pretty adaptable if I need to be,” she said. “(I will be) working with people (from) all over the world, but we’re all there for the same purpose — bring healing and hope.”
The hospital specializes in maxillofacial, reconstructive, plastics, orthopedic, ophthalmic, dental and obstetric fistula surgeries.
Peck said she expects to be working eight-hour days assisting with post-operative care for people who have undergone procedures related to cleft palates, tumors, and other conditions.
Starting in late August, she will be living and working on the 152-metre-long ship Africa Mercy, which will be docked in the port of Conakry, Guinea.
While there, she said she will be sharing a room with five to nine other volunteers: “Kind of like an overnight camp.”
The ship has five operating theatres and a 78-patient ward. Its crew of about 450 people is made up of all volunteers, including surgeons, dentists, chefs, writers, photographers, engineers, teachers, and more.
During the ship’s stay in Conakry, it is anticipated more than 2,000 surgeries will be done and more than 6,000 people will be treated at a dental clinic on shore, according to JoJo Beattie, creative communications manager for Mercy Ships Canada.
Founded in 1978, Mercy Ships has travelled to 70 countries and provided medical services valued at more than $1.3 billion.
Peck will return to Canada in late October and launch into another big adventure: marriage.
But for now, Peck said she is focused on volunteering and is excited to meet people like her who are going on the trip not knowing anyone else.
“It’ll be kind of neat to meet a lot of people who are in the same boat — no pun intended — as me,” she said.
For more information about Mercy Ships, or to donate to the organization, visit the website.
