Omagh Methodist Men’s Breakfast Fellowship

Mr Sean Fitzgerald [left] with Mr John Buchanan

The guest speaker at the Men’s Breakfast on Saturday 23rd of November 2024 was Mr Sean Fitzgerald, retired sea captain and lately district governor of Rotary Ireland. Both roles underpin his involvement with “Mercy Ships” an international charity dedicated to bringing hope and healing to coastal communities in sub-Saharan Africa.   As a sea captain Sean knows how and where to source equipment to keep the hospital ships seaworthy.  Via Rotary International he can tap into fund raising essential for the maintenance of the charity’s two ships.

Sean explained that more than 50% of the world’s population live within 100 miles of the coast and in a continent where 9 out of 10 people do not have access to safe surgery a ship is the best way to deliver a state-of-the-art hospital to places where clean water, reliable electricity, and skilled medical workers are non-existent or scarce. When both ships are in full service “Mercy Ships” can perform more than 5,000 surgeries and over 28,000 dental treatments annually, while training more than 2,800 medical professionals.

In a wide-ranging talk Sean demonstrated the impressive range of services provided and was warmly thanked for his well-informed presentation. For more information go to www.mercyships.org

The Charity’s hospital ships – Global Mercy [left] and Africa Mercy