VOA常速英语2007年-Ship of Doctors Heals Thousands in Africa

By Mandy Clark
London
26 December 2007
 

Many surgical¹ procedures taken for granted in the West are not available to the world's poorest people. Yet, a dedicated² crew of doctors and nurses, aboard "Mercy Ships," bring hope and healing to those in need, with the finest medical equipment and specialists on board. VOA's Mandy Clark met up with one of the volunteer surgeons who regularly travels aboard Mercy Ships along the West African coast.

Peter McDermott is a facial surgeon in London. He spends most days removing minor⁴ tumors and other imperfections, but for a few weeks every year he pushes his skills to the limit.

He does it, along with hundreds of other doctors, nurses and specialists aboard a Mercy Ship. They volunteer their skills to transform the lives of people in Africa, who cannot get help anywhere else because they simply are too poor.

"The degree of poverty -- somehow, you see it when you watch it on television and you think, 'Oh, these poor people.' But, I think when you are actually in there, you can see it, smell it, touch it. You are in amongst it and the overwhelming need of people. It really touches you," Dr. McDermott said. 

The medical personnel on Mercy Ships specialize in the healing of horrific facial deformities of people in places where often little or no professional health care of any kind exists. Mercy Ships' three vessels⁶, staffed by thousands of volunteers, have provided more than 32,000 surgeries.

The organization also runs 900 development projects that include clinics and the training of local doctors with modern surgical techniques.

On a recent trip, Dr. McDermott was in Benin. There he met Alfred -- a teenager from a small fishing village. When Alfred was 10 his face became disfigured from a rare and rapidly growing facial tumor⁵. The tumor began to close off his throat, making breathing and eating nearly impossible.

Dr. Dermott explains, "His tongue was pushed to the top of his mouth. I was involved in reconstructing his jaw⁷ with hip³ grafts⁸ and things and the transformation from a child who really knew he was down and out and dying into a cheeky, lippy 15-year-old boy was absolutely wonderful. He was just an absolute delight."

Dr. Dermott says, for most people, their face is strongly linked to their identity. He says for people with deformities, getting back their original, healthy face helps reclaim⁹ their identity.

The doctor says the work on Mercy Ships tests his skills and ability but it is not the professional challenge that brings him back every year. Dr. Dermott says, "It's a way of putting back into mankind and womankind something that perhaps some of us take for granted. "

And, he says it is seeing hope and joy return to those who had lost it that makes each Mercy Ships journey worthwhile.

1 surgical   

adj.外科的，外科医生的，手术上的

参考例句：

• He performs the surgical operations at the Red Cross Hospital.他在红十字会医院做外科手术。
• All surgical instruments must be sterilised before use.所有的外科手术器械在使用之前，必须消毒。

2 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。

3 hip   

n.臀部，髋；屋脊

参考例句：

• The thigh bone is connected to the hip bone.股骨连着髋骨。
• The new coats blouse gracefully above the hip line.新外套在臀围线上优美地打着褶皱。

4 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

5 tumor   

n.（肿）瘤，肿块(英)tumour

参考例句：

• He was died of a malignant tumor.他死于恶性肿瘤。
• The surgeons irradiated the tumor.外科医生用X射线照射那个肿瘤。

6 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 jaw   

n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训

参考例句：

• He delivered a right hook to his opponent's jaw.他给了对方下巴一记右钩拳。
• A strong square jaw is a sign of firm character.强健的方下巴是刚毅性格的标志。

8 grafts   

移植( graft的名词复数 )； 行贿； 接穗； 行贿得到的利益

参考例句：

• He's gone to London for skin grafts on his thighs. 他去伦敦做大腿植皮手术了。
• Her burns were treated with skin grafts. 她的烧伤是用植皮方法进行治疗的。

9 reclaim   

v.要求归还，收回；开垦

参考例句：

• I have tried to reclaim my money without success.我没能把钱取回来。
• You must present this ticket when you reclaim your luggage.当你要取回行李时，必须出示这张票子。