File:US Navy 060604-N-2832L-048 Diane Speranza, a Project Hope volunteer and emergency room nurse assigned to casualty receiving, prepares a boy on his fifth birthday for doctors.jpg

English: Jolo, Philippines (June 4, 2006) - Diane Speranza, a Project Hope volunteer and emergency room nurse assigned to casualty receiving, prepares a boy on his fifth birthday for doctors to tend to his anterior chest wall mass. The boy and his mother arrived by helicopter for a stint aboard Mercy, so its medical staff can take care of the boy and other Jolo families. Jolo is U.S. Military Sealift Command (MSC) Hospital ship USNS Mercy’s (T-AH 19) second stop during the ship’s scheduled five-month humanitarian aid mission to host nations in the Pacific Islands, and south and Southeast Asia. Mercy has already visited Zamboanga, Philippines where its crew has treated several thousand patients in one week. Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron Two Five (HSC-25) is attached to Mercy and will provide medical evacuation for patients as well as a mode of transportation for medical personnel to reach the shore. Mercy is uniquely capable of supporting medical and humanitarian assistance needs and is configured with special medical equipment and a robust multi-specialized medical team who can provide a range of services ashore as well as aboard the ship. The medical staff is augmented with an assistance crew, many of whom are part of nongovernmental organizations, foreign militaries and other branches of U.S. military that have significant medical capabilities. U.S. Navy photo by Journalist Seaman Apprentice Mike Leporati (RELEASED)