Mercy Ships Challenge - Accepted and Exceeded!

Dear Rotary Friends,

As I stood on the stage in Nottingham at the Rotary Great Britain and Ireland Show Case in May 2019 and issued the challenge to pursue a Million Dollar Global Grant to support the work of Mercy Ships, I didn't know how things would work out. Was it wishful thinking to dare to dream that Rotarians would be inspired to change the health outcomes of a whole continent?

What has transpired reminds us all that dreams can become reality, that sometimes voicing a wish can make that wish come true.

So I write to you today to say Thank You - thanking you for being the inspiration that enable your club to catch the vison and make a contribution to the Mercy Ships Global Grant.

All those contributions added up to a Global Grant of $1.25 million - a sum pf money that will change the lives of thousands of individuals where the Global Mercy will be deployed. But it is not just those individuals that will be given the opportunity of a new life - their families and their community will be changed too, and the health outcomes of a nation will be changed for the better.

Thank you for being the inspiration that has connected the world, and now Rotary and Mercy Ships will be opening opportunities not just this year but for years to come, to bring health and healing to some of the poorest nations in the world.

Debbie Hodge
President of Rotary Great Britain and Ireland 2018-19

We are delighted to announce that the Rotary Foundation Global Grant for $1.125 million has been approved. This grant will pay for a brand new state of the art CT scanner, and other equipment, onboard the Global Mercy which launches next year. This is the world’s first purpose built hospital ship and will double the impact on healthcare systems throughout west Africa.

The Global Mercy is the largest purpose-built NGO hospital ship. It will double the impact of Mercy Ships on healthcare systems throughout West Africa.

The money will provide a range of sophisticated medical equipment for Decks 3 & 4: the ship’s hospital decks with six operating theatres, three infection isolation rooms, 147 ward beds, six post-operative recovery beds and four intensive care beds. It will also provide training and education for local healthcare workers.

Joanne Balaam, Mercy Ships UK Acting Executive Director says:-

"Mercy Ships is delighted to continue our long-standing partnerships with Rotary internationally. The Global Grant of $1.125M will fund equipment onboard our new teaching hospital, Global Mercy, to realise a shared vision as we increase our capacity with this addition to our fleet: to build self-sustaining health care systems, to change and save significantly more lives than ever before, and to leave a lasting legacy across the countries of Africa. To everyone who donated to this incredible campaign from all around the world, your gift truly makes a difference: Thank you!"

Henry Clarke, Mercy Ships UK Chairman, who some of use heard at Conference this year said:- 

“Mercy Ships UK is privileged to be partnering once again with Rotary International. Ever since the first partnership with Rotary back in 2006, I have been truly amazed at the unwavering commitment and depth of interest of so many Rotarians in the life changing surgical work of Mercy Ships. The equipment that we are now able to procure and install within our new teaching hospital ship, Global Mercy, with the monies raised by hundreds of Rotary Clubs in the UK and overseas, will help to transform the lives of literally thousands of the world's most poor and needy who would otherwise be without hope. Thank you in advance on behalf of all those who you will have helped!”

Debbie Hodge PP Rotary International Great Britain and Ireland also said:-

"Little acts of kindness and generosity make a huge difference in an individuals life, but join up all that kindness and generosity and you can change the lives of whole communities, whole nations and even a whole continent. This Global Grant of 1.125 million dollars will do that! It will change the health outcomes in every country the Global Mercy visits and the legacy will be seen for generations to come. From Inspiration, to Connecting the World, and now Rotary Opens Opportunities to bring surgical care, education and training to West Africa. Thank you to the Grants Team of District 1260 and all who made a contributions, and the Mercy Ships team - our partners in making a difference."