Health
Boy facing blindness gets life-changing eye surgery: ‘Such a blessing’
A 7-year-old boy in West Africa who was going blind can now see again, thanks to life-changing eye surgery provided by the Mercy Ships charity.
Mamadou, whose last name was not provided, was born with bilateral cataracts, a condition in which cataracts develop in both eyes before birth or soon afterward.
When left untreated, the condition can lead to total blindness in some cases.
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“We suspected that the cataracts were there already when Mamadou was born, but slowly they got worse,” Dr. Paul Rudalevicius, an eye surgeon who volunteers with Mercy Ships in Sierra Leone, told Fox News Digital.
Inherited cataracts and malnutrition are common causes of the condition, the doctor said.
A 7-year-old boy in West Africa who was going blind can now see again, thanks to life-changing eye surgery provided by the Mercy Ships charity. (SWNS)
Mamadou, who is from Waterloo, Sierra Leone, “wasn’t able to see much of anything,” according to Ella Hawthorne, an optometrist who also works with Mercy Ships in Sierra Leone.
“He could tell there was a light that was being turned on, but he couldn’t even really tell that a hand was being waved in front of his face,” she told Fox News Digital.
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“He really couldn’t see the world around him very much.”
Mamadou’s mother, Salematu, recalled the poor treatment her son received due to his poor eyesight.
Mamadou is pictured before receiving treatment from the charity Mercy Ships. He struggled to walk because he would trip over objects, and he couldn’t see well enough to read or write. (SWNS)
“His friends always provoked him, and also laughed at him because of his condition,” she told Fox News Digital. “He was going to school, but could not see or write clearly.”
The boy was also having trouble walking and picking up objects, and was very sensitive to sunlight.
A life-changing surgery
Salematu tried several times over the years to get her son the surgery he needed, but local hospitals would not do it. Over time, his vision worsened.
Then Mercy Ships docked its hospital ship, the Global Mercy, in Freetown, Sierra Leone, to provide safe surgeries to residents for free — and Mamadou was selected.
“It was so wonderful to see him looking around and starting to perceive the world.”
Hawthorne recalled her first encounter with the boy.
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“Meeting Mamadou during patient selection here in Sierra Leone was just special,” she told SWNS.
“He is wonderful and quiet at first, but once you get to know him more, he comes out of his shell and engages you.”
After the surgery, doctors gave Mamadou a pair of UV sunglasses to wear as he got used to his new vision. (SWNS)
Time was of the essence for Mamadou’s surgery, Dr. Rudalevicius noted.
“If the cataracts are not removed soon enough, the brain can never learn to see.”
On Feb. 7, assisted by a team of medical volunteers, the doctor performed a small incision cataract surgery.
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Although the procedure took only two hours, it “represented the start of a new vision and future for Mamadou,” according to a Mercy Ships press release.
When the eye patches were removed the next day, it was a little confusing and overwhelming at first, Mercy Ships noted, which is a normal reaction in children.
Mamadou is pictured after receiving eye surgery from the charity Mercy Ships. Time was of the essence for Mamadou’s surgery, his doctor noted. (SWNS)
“He looked around, trying to understand new information and identify unexpected objects,” the release said.
“His brain was not yet used to processing such a high level of visual activity — but after seeing the crowd around him smile and wave, Mamadou quickly joined in, sharing his bright and endearing smile in return.”
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Doctors gave Mamadou a pair of UV sunglasses to wear as he got used to his new vision.
The boy began playing with toys, coloring and riding a toy motorcycle around the ward.
Mamadou receives surgical treatment from the charity Mercy Ships in October 2024. (SWNS)
“Being able to witness the patches being removed from his eyes was such an absolute blessing and a privilege,” Hawthorne told Fox News Digital.
“It was so wonderful to see him looking around and starting to perceive the world and being able to absorb some of the information around him.”
“It was so special, and you could see the joy that had started to build up inside him. It was a really good reminder of why I’m here and the impact our work is having.”
‘Celebration of sight’
A month after Mamadou’s vision was restored, the boy and his mother returned to the ship for a “celebration of sight, a ceremony for patients who have received successful eye surgeries,” according to Mercy Ships.
Salematu shared her relief and happiness with the outcome.
“My son can see me!” she said. “My son can go back to the community and interact with other children!”
After the surgery, the boy began playing with toys, coloring and riding a toy motorcycle around the ward. (SWNS)
“Unlike before, Mamadou can now move around without jumping his steps or falling, even when the sun is out.”
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Salematu hopes that her son will one day grow up to become a medical doctor and make a difference of his own, according to the release.
Dr. Rudalevicius added to Fox News Digital, “I hope that he will be able to attend school, to learn, to play with other children, and in the future maybe support his family.”
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Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27.
In a post on Substack titled “The Day I’ll Never Remember,” she detailed a sudden episode that left her unable to recall the current month, year and president.
“I thought it was 2024. And I believed Joe Biden was president,” she wrote.
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The event occurred while Couric was attending the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, during which she participated in two public panels — one on AI and one on journalism — both of which she cannot remember at all.
“I have no idea what we talked about, or of what occurred when the panels ended,” she said.
Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27. (Getty Images)
John Molner — Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels — also shared his account.
After the event, someone told Molner that Katie wasn’t feeling well. When he reached her, an EMT and a doctor were tending to her. “I could tell something was off,” he wrote. “It could have been altitude sickness, but Katie was definitely not all there.”
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At the hospital, when Couric struggled to recall the year, the president and her grandchildren’s names, doctors began checking for a stroke.
An MRI revealed no signs of stroke, which was a relief, but “Katie’s ‘fog’ became a lot more apparent,” Molner wrote.
John Molner, Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels, also shared his account. (Getty Images)
“She repeatedly asked me the same questions: ‘What was I doing before we got to the hospital?’ ‘Why am I at the hospital?’”
Couric was ultimately diagnosed with transient global amnesia, a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss that prevents a person from forming new memories and may also erase some recent memories, according to Mayo Clinic.
“The cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself.”
It is not caused by a stroke, seizure or head injury, and it usually resolves completely within 24 hours.
“[It’s] just a very weird neural episode that’s pretty uncommon and, at least in most cases, is a ‘one and done’ experience,” Molner said.
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Couric said she finally began feeling “like herself” again around 9 p.m. and went to sleep at 2 a.m.
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.”
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.” (Getty Images)
Data shows that approximately three to eight people per 100,000 will have an episode of transient global amnesia, with people 50 years of age and older at higher risk.
The specific cause of TGA is not known, but some experts believe it stems from a “temporary dysfunction in the brain’s hippocampus — the area responsible for creating new memories,” Couric shared.
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“Doctors believe this is driven by brief interruptions in blood or oxygen flow, or microscopic spasm in the blood vessels.”
Episodes could potentially be triggered by intense physical exertion, emotional distress, extreme temperature changes or migraines, experts say.
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Approximately 15% of patients will have a recurrence 10 years later.
“Why did this happen to me? Was the altitude an issue? Was I dehydrated? Tired? Stressed? The literature doesn’t seem to indicate that these are contributing factors, but the cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself,” Couric wrote.
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise. (iStock)
“All I know is that those hours will be forever lost. Someone described it as my brain failing to hit the ‘record button.’”
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“While this was a freaky occurrence, it could have been much more serious. So ultimately, I’m relieved — even though several hours of a Saturday in June will always be missing for me.”
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise.
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Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers.
That’s according to a recent study led by Stony Brook Medicine in New York, which evaluated the cognitive function of 4,000 adults 80 and over who participated in multiple aging and longevity studies over several years.
Among this group, 6% to 10% were classified as super movers, which means they walk at a much faster pace than others of the same age and gender — at speeds comparable to people three decades younger.
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The super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed.
The findings were published in the journal Neurology on June 16.
Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers. (iStock)
“The study reinforces that mobility and brain health are closely connected,” lead study author Dr. Joe Verghese, MD, neurologist at Stony Brook Medicine, told Fox News Digital. “This suggests that preserving mobility may be an important marker of healthy brain aging and resilience.”
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The most intriguing finding, according to Verghese, was that super movers maintained cognitive function despite having similar dementia-related brain changes as their peers.
In postmortem brain analysis, there was no difference in dementia-related pathologies between the super movers and the slower walkers, the study stated.
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“This suggests they may possess resilience mechanisms that help preserve brain function even in the presence of age-related changes,” he said. “Understanding these resilience factors could lead to new strategies for promoting healthy brain aging.”
As the study was observational, there were some limitations, and it does not prove that walking faster prevents dementia, the researchers noted.
Super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed. (iStock)
“Other factors, such as cardiovascular health, physical fitness or genetics, may also contribute to both faster walking and better cognitive outcomes,” Verghese said.
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This study adds to growing evidence that what’s good for the heart and muscles also benefits the brain, he noted, adding that “staying physically active remains one of the most effective, evidence-based ways to support healthy aging.”
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment.”
“The broader message is that physical activity is important at any age,” Verghese said. “Walking is an easy step-up point because you don’t need any special equipment. You can do it inside or outdoors, and you can do it on a regular basis. You can walk with a dog, you can walk with a friend.”
Any activity is beneficial if it’s done regularly and with the right intensity, he added.
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Rather than just trying to walk faster, the neurologist recommends that seniors focus on maintaining mobility through regular physical activity, strength training, balance exercises and good cardiovascular health.
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment,” Verghese noted.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking. (iStock)
This can be achieved by walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or about 20 to 25 minutes most days. Another option is to engage in shorter sessions that add up over the day.
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“You have to do it within your health limitations and medical conditions,” Verghese advised. “So if there are any medical concerns, I would get your physician to clear you before starting exercise.” The good thing about walking, he added, is that you can start at a slow pace and then gradually build up to a brisker pace.
“And then adding on strength and balance training, whatever age you are, I think is also important.”
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