Nurse’s film which documents medics’ work in Ghana aims to raise £8,000
By James Protheroe
A nurse and former BBC documentary filmmaker has self-funded a film about the work of Simon’s Mango Tree, a charity that provides aid in Ghana.
Mary-Anne Thompson, of Brixton, will be screening the film at the Rudolph Steiner Theatre in Central London on December 7th at 2pm to raise money for the charity.
The King’s nurse is hoping to raise £8000. The money raised will fund accommodation for nurses to open health clinics and other frontline services. Tickets are between £15-20.
Ms Thompson spent a week in Ghana with Simon’s Mango Tree to shoot the film, recording the impact of the charity in Hospitals and Schools in northern Ghana.
The charity is made of a number of NHS doctors and nurses who travel to the birth village of Simon Derbie – a senior anaesthetic nurse at Northwick Park Hospital – twice a year for 10 days to provide life-changing surgeries and other medical support.
The NHS staff of Simon’s Mango Tree use their own annual leave and self-fund the trip to Ghana, meaning money raised goes directly to medical equipment and other services. All development is decided and directed by the Ghanaian Chief of the Region, Chief Kelle.
The film shares the stories of individuals whose lives have been transformed, with one patient having a hernia the size of a beachball after not receiving treatment for 10 years.
The South London nurse also visits a school with 260 children to only 6 teachers. All the teachers’ wages are paid by Simon’s Mango Tree at the cost of £200 a year per teacher – £1200 send in January covers the yearly salary costs.
Ms Thompson speaks in the film to a current teacher, who recounts his predicament before the intervention of the charity: “I even threatened to kill myself because my parents could not afford to send me to school”
“I tried to kill myself because I saw that I realised that all hope was lost”
The nurse said: ‘It’s fantastic to have the opportunity to care for our fellows, please give a little support, hope and love and come and see Simon’s Mango Tree The Movie or offer a Donation under Tickets, https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/74090150635, Thankyou’
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