TWO big-hearted Griffith nurses are using their expertise and compassion to help provide life-changing surgery to Africa's poor.
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Griffith Base Hospital ICU educator Skye Vagg and theatre nurse Desleigh Gilbert are currently aboard a hospital ship with the volunteer group Mercy Ships near Madagascar.
It is almost entirely staffed by volunteers from over 40 nations, who raise their own finances to travel to the ship and pay towards their cost of living while serving on board.
It is the first time for Ms Vagg, who is taking long service leave. She headed off on November 14 and will be back in Griffith in mid-January.
"I think this is going to be a life-changing experience for me," she said.
"It will be interesting and I know that I'll grow from it.
"The Mercy Ship provides surgical procedures on board.
"We will be helping do corrective surgery like facial tumours and cleft palates."
Meanwhile Ms Gilbert, who has been travelling from Melbourne to work in Griffith regularly since 2012, has made three previous trips.
"The nursing community in Griffith has really embraced me and I feel like I'm part of this community," she said.
"The abject (third world) poverty in these places means there is a great need for corrective surgery.
"Because of the primitive cooking they do outside you see a lot of terrible burns.
"When I volunteered before I heard them say it's the hardest job you can do but it's also the most rewarding.
"We all want to do something with a bit of adventure and this is a great organisation to work with. You definitely bring back more than you give."