Jeni Stepien’s father was murdered.  His heart was donated to a man named Arthur Thomas.  Over the years, the two families kept in touch by letters and calls.

Volunteering to serve onboard a hospital ship in Africa changes the volunteer in many ways.  Nurse Kayla Innis explains.

Five-year-old Faharoa had a benign tumor that made her lips large and purple.  Six-year-old Elina had severe burns that welded her right arm to her body.  The girls received free surgery and physical therapy onboard our hospital ship over several months.  And they also received love and acceptance from the nurses.

Recently a creative crew member described what she calls “ward warriors.”

A routine medical checkup changed Judge Derek Mosley’s life.  He found out his kidneys weren’t working correctly.  Without a transplant, he would die.

Sophie and Auriette have children who received free orthopedic surgeries onboard our hospital ship in Madagascar.  Eunice, a volunteer writer, asked them, “What is your favorite memory of being on the ship?”  She shares their answer.

An award program called the Chattanooga Champions of Health Care is held each year in Tennessee.  In 2016 Dr. Mack Worthington received the Physicians Award for exemplary performance.

One thing that’s different about serving on our hospital ship is that the medical crew members can spend a lot of time with their patients.  Surgery and recovery often have difficult and painful moments.

Osman was only 11 years old when he suffered serious burns on his legs and feet.  A life-changing surgery onboard our hospital ship restored his mobility. Some years later, Osman became a full-time crew member.

Jon had enjoyed a wonderful week-long Caribbean cruise.  He’d taken some library books to relax and do the old-fashioned kind of reading.  But he accidentally left a book on the plane when he returned home.