Accidents in all their forms remain an unavoidable part of life. One may choose to walk and still be knocked by a vehicle; another may stay home and yet face sudden danger. We can never be cautious enough to completely avoid fate. What defines us, however, is how we accept reality and rise after it happens.
This truth was lived and told by Mr. Ojok Patrick, originally from Pader and now residing in Gulu City with his wife and two children. As an HVAC, Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning technician, Patrick worked hard to support his family, and the future looked promising. Their second-born, Dayo Favor Joy, whose name beautifully signifies Glory, Favor, and Joy, was just six years old and beginning Primary One when tragedy struck.
One morning, Dayo’s mother swept the compound, gathered rubbish, and set it on fire. She believed that the fire had completely gone out and left for the market, leaving Dayo and other neighborhood children playing in the compound. Unknown to her, some hot ashes were still burning beneath the white patches.
Out of curiosity, Dayo walked toward the rubbish area. Her long dress brushed against the ashes, and within moments, it caught fire. The silky fabric spread the flames quickly. Panic set in, and with no adult nearby, the situation worsened.
Her screams pierced the neighborhood until a brave man rushed in to help. Despite the intense flames, he grabbed Dayo and tore off the burning dress, burning his own hands in the process.
By the time Dayo’s mother returned from the market, her daughter had already been rushed to St. Mary’s Hospital, Lacor. She was left standing among shocked and speechless neighbors, struggling to process what had happened.
Before heading to the hospital, she had to inform her husband, an incredibly difficult task, but she gathered the courage, told him, and he immediately headed to Lacor to meet them there.
At the hospital, Dayo fought for her life in the Intensive Care Unit for several days. “Those days were the hardest moments of our lives,” Mr. Ojok recalls. “We were told our daughter had sustained 40% burns of her body, and her condition was life-threatening. With every passing moment before the fifth day, our hope was fading.”
Then came a turning point. On the sixth day, a team of surgeons, three days into a plastic and reconstructive surgery camp, took over her care.
“The way they handled our daughter felt like God’s intervention,” he says. “They performed several surgeries, and we stayed in the hospital for seven months. Life came to a standstill, but it was worth it. Our daughter’s life was saved.”
Today, Dayo Favor Joy is alive, smiling, and full of dreams.
Deyo and the father, Mr. Patrick
When we met the family during a review visit, they had come for follow-up care and medication injections to help manage her scars. Mr. Ojok took the opportunity to thank the medical team that gave his daughter a second chance at life.
“Words are not enough to thank the hospital management and the surgical team,” he shared.
“Where would we have found the money for such specialized burn care? Our daughter returned to school and completed Primary One, even though she studied for only one term. She is a very intelligent child.”
Dayo herself often tells her parents: “Dad, Mum, I will study hard and one day work in a hospital, any job, because everyone there helped save my life.”
“That is why I will fight tooth and nail to ensure she gets the best education and upbringing,” her father added.
The phrase “fight tooth and nail” strongly reflects our own mission, to provide affordable and sustainable healthcare to the needy, a commitment we have upheld since 1959. Stories like Dayo’s give us the strength, deepen our compassion, and whisper in our hearts why we serve.
As the plastic and reconstructive surgery camp concluded, more than 40 patients returned home with confidence, dignity, and hope for the future.
We extend our gratitude to everyone who made this year’s plastic reconstructive surgery camp a success. Though the year had its challenges, by God’s grace, we pulled through together.
Deyo center with the mum and dad besides her, along with the Plastic surgical team
Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy New Year
