How a Grandfather’s Faith and Rural Neurosurgery Gave a Child a Second Life
Dennis Toe (center) plays with his schoolmates during recess at the Dokliken Public School in Maryland County, Liberia. Photo by Ansumana O. Sesay/PIH
Published on
January 30, 2026
Karbeh Sebo was filled with joy as he reflected on his grandson’s recovery and on how he can now actively support his siblings with various household chores while attending school. This comes after a tragic accident in 2022 that nearly took his life.
“Thank God for PIH. Sometimes when I sit and think about it, I can feel like crying. If it were not for PIH, my son was going to die,” shares Karbeh Sebo, the grandfather of 12-year-old Dennis Toe, who underwent a crucial neurosurgical procedure at the Partners In Health Liberia-supported James Jenkins Dossen (JJD) Hospital in Harper, Maryland County, southeastern Liberia.
Dennis and his grandfather, Karbeh Sebo. The 12-year-old underwent successful surgery at the PIH-supported JJD Hospital following a serious motorbike accident in 2022 that almost cost him his life. Photo by Ansumana O. Sesay/PIH-L
The partnership between PIH and the Maryland County Health Team is addressing systemic challenges by implementing innovative rural service delivery. They are creating a comprehensive health care platform that integrates prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and referrals, facilitating smooth transitions from the community to tertiary care.
Dennis Toe (left) plays with his schoolmates during recess at the Dokliken Public School in Maryland County, Liberia. His grandfather, Karbeh Sebo, attributes Dennis’ survival to the remarkable advancements made at JJD Hospital, a result of the partnership between PIH and the Maryland County Health Team. Photo by Ansumana O. Sesay/PIH
Dennis was eight years old when he was hit by a speeding motorcycle. He was crossing a busy road in Dokliken, a town along the Pleebo, Fish Town Highway. The accident left Dennis unconscious after he fell headfirst onto the asphalt, resulting in partial paralysis due to blood pooling in his skull, which compressed his brain.
Karbeh Sebo, a 65-year-old man and a former community health volunteer (CHV) with the Ministry of Health, holds a deep conviction that his grandson’s survival was made possible by the significant advancements at JJD Hospital, driven by the collaboration between PIH and the Government of Liberia, through the Maryland County Health Team.
Prior to PIH’s work in Maryland County, 9 out of 10 individuals requiring emergency or lifesaving surgery faced a high likelihood of death or severe disability due to the absence of a surgeon in the southeast region. Individuals suffering from broken bones, accidental injuries like Dennis, or mothers needing C-sections had to travel hundreds of miles to the nearest facility with a surgeon. Many died during the costly and arduous journey, which often took several days due to poor road conditions.
PIH is dedicated to supporting JJD Hospital and other facilities in Maryland County, ensuring operational readiness and providing adequate, dignified, and high-quality treatment to patients—a core aspect of its mission.
Sebo expresses immense gratitude that his grandchild is now back to playing and attending school after what he refers to as “surviving death.” Dennis, the second child and first son among four siblings, Rachel (14 years old), Elizabeth (8 years old), and Christina (4 years old), is actively engaged in school and shares household chores with his brothers and sisters.
From 2019 to 2024, the emergency room at JJD Hospital performed 3,581 life-saving surgical and trauma care cases across various categories.
