Tertiary Sisters’ ‘Caridac Mission’ Delivers Heart Surgery to Patients in Cameroon

Eight patients received cardiac surgery during a Tertiary Sisters “cardiac mission” held in August at the cardiac surgery centre of St. Elizabeth Catholic General Hospital. It was the third such mission this year. The programme provides treatment to children and adults with serious heart conditions, including patients who would otherwise be unable to afford surgery.

Financial assistance from foundations and individual donors plays a critical role in making treatment possible for patients who cannot readily afford cardiac surgery. Sponsorship is directed toward patients based on the urgency of their medical needs and their financial circumstances.

Among those treated during the August mission were six children ranging in age from five months to 14 years: Aminatou, 14; Obono Grateful, 10; Ndifon Kilian, 2; Awah Ariella, 5 months; Semani Divine, 1; and Dany Eliot, 5 months. Following their surgeries, the children are expected to return to school and take part in regular childhood activities.

The programme is sustained through the work of medical and administrative staff, as well as financial support from Catholic organisations, foundations, and individual donors in Cameroon and overseas. Since January 2026, Etica Mundi, working with Franciscan Mission Outreach, has sponsored eight patients. The Capuchin Friars of Lombardy/Cameroon have supported nine patients, and the Fondazione Cuore Fratello has sponsored two.

Additional support has come from the Archbishop Paul Verdzekov Memorial Heart Foundation and individual donors including Clement Fondufe and Dr. Gwan-Nulla Gabriel. Their assistance has put advanced cardiac treatment within the reach of patients whose families could not otherwise meet the cost of specialised care.

The Tertiary Sisters’ work to extend advanced cardiac care in Cameroon reaches well beyond Shisong in northwestern Cameroon. The Cardiac Centre organises surgical missions roughly 400 kilometres away by road in Yaoundé, in central Cameroon, in collaboration with the General Hospital of Yaoundé. Plans are also underway to establish facilities for cardiac surgery at Franciscan Solidarity of Hearts Hospital in Soa, just outside Yaoundé, further expanding the programme’s capacity to serve patients.

The Cardiac Centre is now identifying children and adults who may require treatment during its next surgical mission, planned for November 2026. The programme continues to seek additional support for patients who need cardiac care but cannot readily afford treatment.

The Tertiary Sisters are sincerely grateful to the organisations and individuals who support the programme.