Liam Labelle, standing amidst a crowd of African children.
distinguish Buruli ulcers,” he pointed out. The following day, Labelle, his son and medical staff would examine a slew of people. In the pictures he displays, a long lineup of residents can be seen, spanning for countless meters. “For some of them, that was the first medical checkup they had ever had in their lives.” The result? “I got to see pretty much everything,” he admitted. “From leprosy, to small infections caused by little cuts.” In the pictures he showcases are pain- stricken faces, all of them desperate for a cure. One photograph stands out amongst the trove of others. A little baby boy, not older than one, stares blankly at the camera. His big brown mirror like eyes showcases suffering like no other. His face is covered with sores and a good portion of his nose has been “eaten away” by Yaws, a chronic infection that affects mainly the skin, bone and cartilage and can lead to disfigurement. “When he got to us, he was pretty much dead,” said Labelle, a hint of emotion pier- cing through his voice. “But we managed to save him.” What saved the baby froma slow painful death was not a godlike substance or an expensive and rare vaccine. A single shot of Penicillin is needed in order to cure Yaws. A way of life quite different from ours Life in Africa is extremely different from ours, says Labelle. “They don’t worry about the small things,” he explained, a smile ap- pearing on the corner of his lips. “They don’t
know what they don’t have.” But one thing that worries theman is the lack of basic education. “They have a lack of basic education, and I don’t mean the kind you get in a classroom,” he remarked. “I’m talking about latrines, wound cleaning and treatments.” He points to a picture of children gather- ing water in what one could only describe as a dirty river, its dark brown waves home to certain diseases. The next picture is one of several cows using the same said river. “They drink the same water as cows.” But while countrymen die in agony, the king of Ghana, pictured with a long robe-like garment, sits peacefully under a gigantic umbrella. “The bigger the umbrella, themore important you are,” pointed out Labelle. In addition to having met him, the man also became acquainted with several chiefs who operate under the king. “Every time we came into a new community, we had to offer the chief a gift,” he revealed. “If it was a mostly Christian community, we offered him a bottle of wine, but if he was Muslim, we gave him a loaf of bread.” Oddly enough, Labelle explained that there isn’t one trace of religious tensions throughout the area he has covered. “They don’t hate themselves one bit,” he high- lighted. “Some Christians will go to the mosque with their friends, while some Muslims will go to church with their pals.” Access to basic health services is very dif- ficult or even non-existent for some residents
of secular communities. One might have to trek several days in order to make it to a city housing a hospital. But once there, they must face yet another challenge. “African hospitals don’t offer food and don’t feed their patients,” stressed Labelle. “Therefore, if you go to the hospital, one of your family members must alsomove. If they can’t, you simply can’t go to the hospital. It becomes very pricey for families.” Africa is also home to several shamans and spiritual leaders. Therefore, it’s not uncommon for some disease-suffering individuals to seek help, not from a doctor,
but from the said shamans. “We came across a man with a Burili ulcer, he was a farmer,” related Labelle. “He couldn’t work in the fields anymore.They had put wood shavings and other things on the big ulcer, thinking it would heal it. Several residents blame black magic for the Burili ulcer.” Theman is already planning his next trip, which will of course be taking place next year. “I can’t wait already” And it seems the experience has motivated his son Liam to do the same. “He loved it and thought it was quite the experience.”
The Labelle’s sleeping quarters. “Every night, we had to sleep on planks, surrounded by mosquito nets. It wasn’t that
comfortable and you sure didn’t get a good night’s sleep,” said Labelle, laughing.
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
The Journal Cornwall
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