Auguste, a 64-year-old teacher from Dakar, Senegal, has returned to the classroom after undergoing life-changing surgery to remove a melon-sized tumor from his face.
The growth, which had been hindering his ability to work, speak, eat, and sleep, was successfully removed aboard the hospital ship Mercy Ships as per a SWNS report.
The tumor first appeared as a small spot on the left side of Auguste’s jaw 13 years ago, when he was 51. Over the years, it grew to the size of a melon, forcing him to quit his teaching job and isolating him from his community.
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Despite being of retirement age, Auguste always felt called to continue teaching underprivileged and orphaned children. “I’m only here to help underprivileged and orphaned children—to teach them if I have the means,” he said. However, as the tumor grew, he was forced to leave his job and became increasingly isolated. He recalled how neighbors avoided him, fearing his condition was contagious. “All of my activities have stopped. I don’t really do anything,” he said.
After years of searching unsuccessfully for surgical care, Auguste was directed to Mercy Ships, which had docked in the port of Dakar, just 10 miles from his home. There, he met Dr. Josh Wiederman, a volunteer ear, nose, and throat surgeon, who operated on him during his first week with the organization.
Dr. Wiederman explained that this type of condition, often caught early in higher-income countries, had developed unchecked in Auguste’s case. “This type of condition is seen in high-income countries like the United States but in very early stages,” Wiederman said. “With routine dental examination x-rays, these types of lesions are picked up before they really can be seen from the outside.”
Wiederman explained that Auguste’s tumor, which originated from the enamel of the tooth within the mandible, had likely started growing in his second or third decade of life. By the time he sought treatment, the mass had grown so large that Auguste could only speak out of the corner of his mouth and was unable to eat textured foods. T
The sheer size of the tumor also caused sleep deprivation as he could no longer rest his head comfortably. Without treatment, Dr. Wiederman noted, the tumor would have continued to grow and could have caused “life-threatening” breathing difficulties.
When Auguste finally went into the operating room in March 2023, he was eager to reclaim his life, and after surgery, he spent six weeks recovering aboard the Mercy Ship before being discharged to return home to his wife, Claire, their adult children, and young grandchildren.
“I can’t explain their reactions when they saw me after the surgery,” Auguste said. “I was well welcomed, very well received.”
Since his recovery, Auguste has returned to the primary school where he once taught, resuming his work with passion and pride. “We’re very happy to have him back at school,” said the school’s head teacher, Mamadou Bamba Ndiaye.
With his health restored, Auguste is once again able to continue his calling to educate the next generation, and give back to society.
