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This past summer during our recent mission to Arusha, Tanzania, we had the honor of meeting Juliana and her daughter, Josepha.
Juliana and Josepha live in the countryside about an hour and a half outside of Arusha. Juliana used to travel by bus, a three-hour round trip to Arusha, six days a week to work at her job in a textile mill. She worked at the factory for over twenty years before the onset of osteoarthritis in her knees started to slow her down both on her travels into the city and at her job.
In 2018 she consulted with the local orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Bibiri, at Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre, and through a grant program and some insurance through her employer, she was able to have her right knee replaced. Juliana hoped this would allow her to continue working at the factory, but the pain in her left knee increased and crippled her to the point that she was dismissed.
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Juliana working on her garden |
Waiting through the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, with little income, and limited mobility, Juliana was desperate. Her husband who lived in a neighboring village did what he could to help, although his mobility was greatly limited as well. Her daughter, who had to drop out of university to support them both, tried to make up the difference but the situation looked grim.
Just when she had lost hope, she received a call from her former surgeon, Dr Bibiri and he had good news. There was a team called Operation Walk from Los Angeles traveling to Arusha in 2023 that might be able to replace her left knee and restore her mobility. It was only a chance; she would have to go through several screenings and ultimately be approved by the team surgeons. Juliana said it was the only opportunity she would be given and immediately agreed to be screened and considered for joint replacement. She qualified for surgery and was one of the first patients to receive a new knee.
We were so excited to receive an update from Juliana’s daughter on her progress six months after her surgery. She is now able to work in her garden, take care of household chores, and be a more active part of the community. She is still wanting to be able to run, which is her ultimate goal. We send her all our good thoughts and hope that she is able to meet that milestone in time.