Zaria, Nigeria – When a young man named Innocent walked into a regional medical outreach clinic, he carried a spectacular facial mass that had been growing aggressively for years. He had already been turned away by multiple local medical centers—either because the facilities lacked the advanced surgical capabilities required to treat him, or because Innocent lacked the funds to pay for the care.
The tumor had reached a critical stage; every time Innocent adjusted his basic medical dressings, blood would squirt violently from the bottom of the mass. The chronic blood loss left him profoundly anemic and severely malnourished.
Recognizing the extreme risk, Dr. Brian Camazine brought together what he deemed the “A-Team,” calling on veteran general surgeon Dr. Mike Enyinnah. The surgical duo successfully excised the tumor and halted the dangerous hemorrhaging. To jumpstart Innocent’s recovery and heal his malnourished body, the team uniquely prescribed a diet of six eggs per day for two weeks until the wound was healthy enough for a successful skin graft.
Biopsy results later revealed that the mass was a dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP)—a rare and highly dangerous soft tissue sarcoma variant. Because the margins of the tumor were dangerously close to vital structures, Innocent requires immediate post-operative radiation therapy to prevent a fatal recurrence.
With only two to three operational radiation therapy sites across the entire nation at the time, access was exceptionally rare and costly. To save his life, Innocent had to travel over 500 miles to a specialized facility in Zaria, Northern Nigeria. The Earthwide Surgical Foundation officially stepped in to cover the entire cost of his cancer treatments.
The cost of the radiation was covered by PROFOH under the supervision of our PROFOH Nigeria Board Chair, Dr. Safiya Umar, a woman of unbelievable kindness. As PROFOH Nigeria Chair, she has provided the quality leadership and inspiration that runs the organisation.
Prof. Brian Camazine is ranking Global Board member of PROFOH. He is also the head of Earthwide Surgical Foundation, based in Texas, United States.
