At around 2:00 a.m. on the night of 11th March 2026, four-year-old Lamara Gladys was rushed to Lacor Health Centre III, Pabbo in Amuru District with a life-threatening abdominal injury. She had sustained severe internal wounds during a violent incident at home and arrived in critical condition.
The clinical team at Pabbo quickly recognised that the child needed urgent specialised care beyond the health Centre’s capacity. Through the emergency referral system of St. Mary’s Hospital Lacor, Gladys was immediately transferred by ambulance to the main hospital in Gulu for emergency treatment.
By the time she arrived at the Emergency Department of St. Mary’s Hospital, Lacor, Gladys was unconscious and in a critical state.
A surgical team led by Dr Daniel Lajul, working alongside senior surgeon Dr Nyeko David and the theatre staff, immediately prepared her for emergency surgery.
During the operation, the team discovered multiple serious internal injuries affecting the stomach and intestines, with significant contamination inside the abdomen. Parts of the intestine had also begun losing blood supply due to the severity of the injury.
“In total, she had six internal perforations from a single stab wound,” Dr Lajul explains.
“It was one of the most challenging emergency surgeries I have handled in such a young child. We knew time was extremely important.”
Over the next two hours, the surgical team repaired the damaged organs, cleaned the abdominal cavity, stabilised the child, and worked carefully to prevent further complications.
“It was not just surgery,” Dr Lajul says.
“It was a fight to restore life.”
For Gladys’ mother, Ayee Miriam, the journey to Gulu was filled with fear and uncertainty.
“I received the report at around 2 a.m. that my daughter had been badly injured,” she recalls.
By the time she reached Lacor Hospital, the surgery had already been completed.
“The doctors explained to me that her intestines had been seriously damaged, but they had already operated on her. When I arrived, she was conscious again,” she says.
The recovery process required close monitoring and careful feeding over several days. Gradually, Gladys regained strength.
Today, she can walk, talk, eat normally, and continue recovering with her family.
“My daughter was brought almost without hope,” Miriam says.
“But the doctors, nurses and all the staff worked wholeheartedly to save her life. I thank God for them.”
More Than a Miracle Surgery
Gladys’ survival reflects more than one successful operation. It highlights the importance of a functioning emergency care system working together at every stage.
From the first response at Lacor Health Centre III, Pabbo, to the ambulance transfer, emergency surgery, blood availability, theatre care, nursing support, and post-operative monitoring in Gulu — every part of the system played a role in saving her life.
For many vulnerable families across Northern Uganda, this kind of care is only possible because of the continued support that sustains St. Mary’s Hospital Lacor and its network of health facilities.
Donor contributions help provide:
• Emergency ambulance services
• Surgical supplies and medicines
• Functioning operating theatres
• Trained medical staff
• And affordable treatment for patients who would otherwise struggle to access emergency care.
Without this support, many critically ill patients — especially children from remote communities — would face delays that could cost lives.
Gladys’ recovery is therefore not only a medical success story, but also a testimony of what compassionate partnership can achieve.
To all friends and supporters of Lacor Hospital around the world: your support becomes real in moments like these — in the ambulance that arrives at night, in the emergency surgery performed without delay, and in a child returning home alive.
A Shared Responsibility to Protect Children
This case also reminds us of the devastating impact violence within homes can have on children and families.
No child should suffer life-threatening injuries because of conflict among adults. Protecting children requires the responsibility of families, communities, leaders, and society as a whole.
St. Mary’s Hospital Lacor continues to encourage peaceful conflict resolution, stronger child protection, and community awareness to help prevent violence and safeguard vulnerable children.
For Dr Danie
l Lajul, Gladys’ recovery remains deeply meaningful.
“What gives me joy,” he says, “is knowing that a life has been restored and a child has another chance to grow.”
That is the quiet miracle witnessed every day at St. Mary’s Hospital, Lacor:
dedicated teams responding in moments of crisis,
communities and donors making lifesaving care possible,
and patients receiving not only treatment, but also hope for a second chance.
