A Dream Come True

Shell and her husband had given up hope that they’d ever have the child they wanted so very much. She says, “The tenth time I got pregnant, my husband told me, ‘My love, we are going to the hospital in Fond des Blancs because a friend of mine told me they provide good care even though it is free.’”

When Shell arrived at St. Boniface Hospital, the first doctor she saw immediately referred her to our Head of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Dr. Berthony Guerrier. After examining Shell, he performed a cervical cerclage: a procedure to prevent early labor. However, frequent follow-ups posed a challenge—the long, rocky road from Shell’s home in Fond-des-Nègres was too difficult for her to travel safely in her condition.

So, Dr. Guerrier and his team got creative: they coordinated with local doctors for ultrasounds and prenatal care, reviewed results via WhatsApp, conducted telehealth appointments, and sent community health workers to deliver essential medications. Shell conscientiously followed all of Dr. Guerrier’s instructions. 

“For the first time, people around me saw my belly growing,” she told us. “They thought it was a miracle.”

In April 2024, when Shell returned to SBH to have the cerclage removed, doctors diagnosed her with severe preeclampsia. The team rushed to prepare her for an emergency C-section. “Everyone—nurses, doctors, support staff—gave all of themselves to save my baby,” Shell recalls.

Soon, Shell finally heard the sound she had longed for—her baby’s cry. Overwhelmed with joy, she burst into tears, repeating, “Thank you, God. Thank you, God.”