Rochdale nurse involved in a life changing surgery mission in Ethiopia

Pre-operation with the Cervical Encephalocel on his face

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Anne McNicholas, a nurse from Rochdale, was a team member involved in a complex, facial surgery mission to Ethiopia in May.

The mission was organised by Project Harar, a British charity which flies out surgeons to operate on the severely facially disfigured in Ethiopia.

The team, led by Professor Mark McQuirk from Guys and St Thomas’ hospital, included doctors from Europe and Saudi Arabia.

The team were delighted to be joined by the patron of the charity, John Hurt. John visited the project over a four day period, and saw first hand the incredible life changing surgery performed on more than 40 men, women and children.

It is Anne’s role to help organise all the pre-operative care for patients, and then nurse the post-operative patients.

Anne has been involved in missions like Project Harar for four years, spending a month at a time in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa.

Anne is very appreciative that Health Aid UK, a Rochdale based charity, support Project Harar. Health Aid UK, which Anne is the project director of, was established in 1996 and focuses on helping those who live in countries ravaged by famine, sickness and war.

Class 6 from St John’s Catholic Primary school, in Rochdale, are also great supporters of the charity and have raised a considerable amount of funds.

Each pupil from Class 6 painted pictures for Anne to take with her to Ethiopia. The patients were touched by the messages the children had written, wishing them good luck for their operations.

Anne hopes to be included in the 2015 mission.