Auguste before and after his tumor was removed. TIRSA TAPIA/ MERCY SHIPS VIA SWNS.
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DAKAR, Senegal — A teacher who had to quit due to having a melon-sized tumor on his face is unrecognizable and back at work after surgery.
Auguste, 64, developed a small spot on his jaw 13 years ago at the age of 51. It grew over the years until it was the size of a melon.
The grandfather quit his beloved job as a headteacher in 2018 because talking, eating, and sleeping became difficult.
Auguste, from Dakar, Senegal, tried to find a treatment for years but struggled – until he was advised to visit the hospital ship Mercy Ships, which happened to be docked nearby.
He met with a volunteer surgeon on board and was booked in for the life-changing surgery to fully remove the growth.
On March 13, 2023, he went under the knife and woke up to see his face tumour-free for the first time in over a decade.
Despite being of retirement age, he even returned to work because he sees teaching as his ‘calling.’
Auguste said: “I’m only here to help underprivileged and orphaned children – to teach them if I have the means.”
After the tumor started to grow and he quit his beloved job, Auguste found himself becoming a recluse.
He claims neighbors would even avoid him because they feared his condition was contagious.
He said at the time: “All of my activities have stopped. I don’t really do anything.”
Auguste searched unsuccessfully for years for surgical care—until the day he heard that Mercy Ships had come to the port of Dakar, only 10 miles from his home.
Volunteer ear, nose, and throat surgeon Dr. Josh Wiederman met and operated on Auguste during his first week volunteering for Mercy Ships.
He said: “This type of condition is seen in high-income countries like the United States but in very early stages.
“With routine dental examination x-rays, these types of lesions are picked up before they really can be seen from the outside.
“Auguste would have developed it somewhere in the second or third decade of his life.
“It comes from the enamel of the tooth within the mandible, and it will slowly grow over time – you can think of it like blowing up a balloon.”
By the time he boarded the ship, Auguste struggled to eat textured foods and could only speak out of the corner of his mouth.
The sheer mass of the tumor also made it difficult for him to rest his head comfortably, so he was sleep-deprived.
Dr. Wiederman said the tumor would have only continued to grow more if not treated – and could have eventually caused “life-threatening” breathing difficulties.
When he finally went into the operating room for surgery, Auguste was giddy with excitement to get his life back.
He spent six weeks recovering on the ship before being discharged and returning home to his wife, Claire, their adult children, and young grandchildren.
Auguste said: “I can’t explain their reactions when they saw me after the surgery.
“I was well welcomed – very well received.”
Auguste has since returned to the primary school where he used to work because he was so keen to continue teaching.
The school’s head teacher, Mamadou Bamba Ndiaye, said: “We’re very happy to have him back at school.”
Produced in association with SWNS Talker
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