In spring 2005 the Meelia Center became involved in a very unusual project. Emerald Russell, '07, had taken off the first semester of her sophomore year to volunteer in Tanzania at Mwereni School for the Blind. She came back with a new understanding of the world, and of her work in it. Emerald met with the Dan Forbes, director of the Meelia Center and his student leadership team of Nickie Lora '07, Danielle Ricci '08, and Samantha Calhoun '07. Emerald wanted to know if the Meelia Center was open to new ideas, and in particular one that involved two boys from Tanzania.
The two boys were Ally (9 years-old) and Emmanuel (11 years-old). Both boys suffer from the rare, genetic skin disease, Xeroderma Pigmentosum (XP). XP patients are extremely sensitive to the sun and lack the ability to repair DNA damage. Therefore, within moments of any UV exposure children with XP get severe sunburns that do not repair. It is painful and life threatening. XP patients have a high risk of skin cancer and frequently experience damage to their corneas and blindness. Children with XP who grow up with little prevention or knowledge of their disease often die before the age of ten.
The younger boy, Ally had already suffered from skin cancer. Before coming to the United States he had undergone two painful and unsuccessful surgeries to remove a large tumor from his lip. He never received stitches, and lived with an open flesh wound and a protruding tumor for over two years.
With the image of these boys etched in her mind Emerald convinced the Meelia Center to launch a fund raising effort to bring Ally and Emmanuel over to the U.S. for treatment and care. The project soon became complicated, and then more complicated, but everyone shared the desire to make this dream happen. The Meelia Center hosted one of their always popular Wiffle-Ball Tournaments, and after twelve hours of "Play Ball for the Boys From Tanzania" close to $10,000 was raised.
Ally and Emmanuel were traveling with their teacher/guardian, Dastan Anthony. Initially they were coming to America for evaluations and education about XP, and for a camp experience. Fortunately, while they were at the National Institute of Health under a research protocol the boys were examined; a tumor was found on Ally's lip. It was growing rapidly and posed an immediate threat to his life. Aided by a long string of miracles, persistent advocates, and dozens of caring people, Ally would receive the operation he needed.
Before Ally's surgery was scheduled the group (Emerald, Ally, Emmanuel, and Dastan) piled into the car for a tour of the Northeast. They visited Emerald's home up in Maine, and then came to Saint Anselm, where the boys ate to their heart's content at Davison, and met and played with lots of the people who were involved in their incredible journey.
When they left campus they headed west to Camp Sundown, a New York summer camp for children with XP. It is a camp where the fun begins at dusk and runs all night. The boys made friends at Camp Sundown, and they learned that other kids had the disease too. It was a wonderful experience for the boys, both educationally and emotionally.
After Camp Sundown the gang drove back down to Washington D.C. for Ally's surgery. A renowned cranial/facial plastic surgeon performed the procedure. It was a success! They were able to remove all of the cancer once and for all! By the time Ally departed the long festering wound on his lip had largely healed.
After ten-days of recouping in D.C. the boys headed home cancer-free and with proper sun protection gear and medicines! Dastan returned to start college, where he hopes to get a teaching degree, and the boys returned bearing gifts for their 25 classmates. Emerald was fortunate enough to meet some people in Washington who also took an interest in the Mwereni School for the Blind. It appears good things will continue to happen.
Because of Emerald's never-wavering enthusiasm and the willingness of the Meelia Center to let students lead, two little boys at a school for the blind in Africa have renewed hope. Someone that Emerald came into contact with this summer has stepped forward recently to support physical improvements at the school. The water and electric have been restored after a long absence and a protected play area is under construction. The question for many of us now is how can Saint Anselm College maintain a relationship with this special school in Africa? The answer appears to be what it has always been. Find good people and take a leap of faith with them.