A Medical Laboratory Technologist’s Journey with Mercy Ships
Breanna Charleson About Making a Global Impact with Small but Mighty Work
PHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY OF BREANNA CHARLESON
I grew up in Southern Ontario and completed my Medical Laboratory Science education at Ontario Tech University. For as long as I can remember, I have been eager to travel and experience life in different countries. I have always loved the idea of learning how people around the world live, work and care for one another. During my time as a student, I researched ways I could combine this passion for travel with my career in medical laboratory science. However, I quickly discovered that opportunities for MLTs to volunteer internationally were quite limited. That changed the day I learned about Mercy Ships and realized that a long-held dream could become a reality. Mercy Ships is an international faith-based humanitarian organization that provides free, life-changing surgical care to people living in countries where access to safe medical services is extremely limited. Their work is carried out aboard state-of-the-art hospital ships that sail to ports in Africa and partner with host nations. These floating hospitals deliver essential surgeries such as maxillofacial, orthopedic, general, and reconstructive procedures. In addition to direct patient care, Mercy Ships collaborates with local health care systems to provide training, mentorship and education for health care professionals, helping to strengthen local capacity long after the ship has departed. Before the ship arrives in a country to begin doing surgeries, there is a patient selection team that travels around the country hosting screening days to find patients. They typically partner with the local government and use radio and other means to advertise when they will be there for screening. They also have a palliative care team if they come across a case that is too severe for surgery, and they often try to connect these patients with a local palliative care support system. Currently, Mercy Ships operates two hospital ships: the Africa Mercy and the Global Mercy. I was fortunate enough to work on both vessels during my time volunteering and the countries I served in were Senegal and Sierra Leone. When I originally signed up, my plan was to serve on the Africa Mercy for five months beginning in the summer of 2022. Five months quickly turned into eight, and before I knew it, I had spent almost two years with Mercy Ships. Even now, I often wonder if one day I will have the opportunity to return.
Working with Mercy Ships was one of the most valuable experiences of my career. The interdisciplinary collaboration was inspiring with every department working together toward a common goal of restoring health and dignity to patients.
Living on board a hospital ship was unlike any experience I have ever had. The diversity of people was remarkable — 18-year-olds taking gap years before starting their studies, retirees in their seventies enjoying a new season of life, single volunteers, couples and even families with children. The range of professions was just as diverse: seafarers, engineers, surgeons, nurses, physiotherapists, dentists, chefs, counsellors, teachers, housekeeping staff and many others. The ship truly felt like its own small city. A significant portion of the ship is dedicated to the hospital, but life on board extended far beyond clinical spaces. There were hundreds of cabins, a dining room, café, gym, library and shared spaces where friendships quickly formed. While there was always something happening on board, I also cherished the time spent off ship — exploring the local communities, learning about the culture, and gaining a deeper understanding of the countries we were serving. When I first arrived, the senior technologist showed me around the laboratory. She liked to describe it as “small but mighty,” and it did not take long for me to understand why. While the lab was not large by Canadian standards, it supported an incredible breadth of testing. Unlike hospitals in Canada, where we can readily send samples to reference laboratories, we operated in a largely self-reliant environment. In some ports, Mercy Ships could collaborate with local onshore laboratories, but for the most part, we performed testing independently.
Charleson donating blood aboard one of the Mercy Ships | PHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY OF BREANNA CHARLESON
Before beginning my volunteer journey, I had experience working in both microbiology and a small hospital core lab, which gave me a solid foundation. On board, I expanded my skill set significantly. I performed hemoglobin electrophoresis for patients with sickle cell disease, thyroid testing for patients undergoing goiter surgery, CD4 testing for HIV-positive patients, and one of my personal favourites — parasitology. I encountered parasites I had previously only seen in textbooks, including malaria parasites in blood films, Schistosoma eggs in urine, and a variety of ova in stool samples. On one particularly memorable day, I saw Ascaris lumbricoides worms still wriggling in a stool specimen. The laboratory was organized into hematology, chemistry, blood bank and microbiology sections, allowing me to use my full scope of practice as an MLT. For pathology, fine needle aspirates and touch preparations could be performed and reviewed remotely by a pathologist using specialized digital microscopy. Histology specimens from the operating room were fixed in formalin and shipped to a partner pathology laboratory in the United States. As a surgical hospital, much of our work focused on patient screening and preoperative testing, intraoperative support and postoperative monitoring to ensure patients were recovering well. We also provided all laboratory services for the Crew Clinic, which was responsible for providing health care for volunteers and crew members. The lab typically operated Monday to Friday during daytime hours, with technologists rotating on-call coverage for evenings and weekends. Most of the time, there were three technologists on board, supported by a senior technologist.
Charleson working aboard one of the Mercy Ships | PHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY OF BREANNA CHARLESON
One of the most meaningful aspects of working in the Mercy Ships laboratory was the blood bank. All blood issued to patients was collected from volunteer crew members who signed up to donate. Working in Canadian blood banks, it can be easy to lose sight of the human connection behind transfusions — units arrive labelled and numbered, ready for use. On the ship, that sort of detachment was impossible. When I opened the blood fridge, I saw units labelled with the names of my neighbours, coworkers, and friends. I screened donors, collected blood, performed compatibility testing, and then personally delivered those units to the operating room or ward, knowing the immediate impact they would have. Most transfusions on board were whole blood transfusions. While we could prepare packed red blood cells, we did not have the capacity to separate plasma or platelets. If clotting factors were required, surgeons coordinated timing so blood could be drawn as fresh as possible. I donated blood myself on several occasions, and one time I even delivered my own unit to the operating room. The willingness of so many crew members to donate was incredibly encouraging and reinforced the strong sense of shared purpose on board. Working with Mercy Ships was one of the most valuable experiences of my career. The interdisciplinary collaboration was inspiring with every department working together toward a common goal of restoring health and dignity to patients. Meeting patients, hearing their stories, and witnessing their gratitude was deeply rewarding. I also cherished the opportunity to connect with laboratory professionals from around the world, learning about the similarities and differences in laboratory practice in various countries. I left with not only professional growth, but friendships that span the globe. Since returning to Canada, I have settled into work at a small rural hospital in Sioux Lookout, Ontario. My experience with Mercy Ships reminds me of the importance of connecting our laboratory work to the people it serves. Being able to see patients and put faces to names has renewed my appreciation for the impact of our profession. While it was especially clear on the ship that our work changes lives, my time with Mercy Ships ultimately helped me recognize that even at home, every test we perform plays a vital role in patient care. As medical laboratory professionals, our work, whether on land or at sea, truly matters.
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Breanna Charleson
BHSc, MLT
Breanna Charleson
BHSc, MLT