Dorothy Anning, a young woman from Ghana, once lived a life filled with fear and stares. “People were scared of me, they would start running,” she said. But today, at 21, she’s studying medicine at the University of Ghana—with big dreams of helping others who feel just like she once did.
When Dorothy was just six, doctors discovered a non-cancerous tumor growing from the bone behind her right eye. It kept getting bigger and eventually pushed out into the eye socket. Her appearance changed so much that many in her community were frightened of her.
Everything changed in 2008. With help from a kind Ghanaian doctor and a U.S.-based group called Children’s Cross Connection, Dorothy flew to Atlanta, Georgia, for surgery. There, Dr. Jim Robinson, a skilled brain surgeon, took on the challenge. He had never seen a case like Dorothy’s. The operation was risky and took 23 hours over two days. Since radiation couldn’t be used, the entire tumor had to be removed surgically. Dr. Robinson later called it the biggest success of his career.
Not only did he remove the tumor, but he also rebuilt the damaged part of Dorothy’s skull and the eye socket. Dorothy spent nearly two months in recovery before returning home with her mother, Comfort.
For the first time in her life, Dorothy could walk in public without feeling ashamed. Her journey inspired her. The kindness and talent of the doctor who saved her life made her want to follow in his footsteps.
Now, she’s working hard in medical school—hoping to become the kind of doctor who gives others the same hope she was once given.
