by AMH Staff
Adapted from reporting provided by the Mother of Mercy Hospital team.
An ordinary day turned into a medical emergency for brother and sister Tousharr and Alima. At Mother of Mercy Hospital, surgery, wound care, and physical therapy helped them heal and walk again.
One day, ten-year-old Tousharr Muhammed and his six-year-old sister, Alima Taweel, were helping with chores at home in Habila, in central Sudan. They were refueling their father’s motorbike, pouring gasoline from a container, when it spilled onto their legs and lower bodies. Nearby, a fire was burning. In an instant, the gasoline ignited.
Their parents, Taweel and Ali, did not see the exact moment it happened. But they heard their children scream. They ran and found both children on fire.
Their parents moved quickly, taking them by motorbike to a local clinic. But the injuries were beyond what the clinic could treat. The children were referred to Mother of Mercy Hospital, where the family traveled for hours by car to reach the care they urgently needed.
At Mother of Mercy, the hospital team assessed both children and took them into surgery to remove damaged tissue. That was only the beginning of a long recovery. After surgery, Tousharr and Alima immediately began receiving wound care. Alima’s burns were more severe, and some areas were not healing on their own. Dr. Tom Catena performed multiple skin graft surgeries to help restore the damaged skin and protect her recovery.
As both children began to heal, another critical stage of care began: rehabilitation. A physical therapist at the hospital worked with Tousharr and Alima to help them regain movement as their bodies recovered. This part of treatment was essential. Without proper physical therapy, their wounds could have healed in ways that severely limited their ability to walk in the future.
At first, they used crutches. Step by step, with continued treatment and therapy, both children regained strength and mobility. Over time, they progressed from assisted walking to walking normally on their own. Eventually, Tousharr and Alima were discharged from the hospital after making a full recovery.
For their parents, the healing of their son and daughter was a profound answer to fear and uncertainty. Without the care available at Mother of Mercy Hospital, severe burns like these can easily become life-threatening through infection and complications. Their parents remain deeply grateful for the care their children received.
Burn injuries are tragically common among children in the Nuba Mountains, where open flames are a routine part of life in many homes. For children like Tousharr and Alima, survival and healing depend on access to comprehensive medical care: surgery, wound care, rehabilitation, and the dedicated teams who walk with patients through every stage of recovery.
At Mother of Mercy Hospital, that care is available because compassionate supporters make it possible. Your support helps children receive the treatment they need not only to survive, but to heal, recover, and return home.