Tags: fistula

Rose was very sick after the death of her baby, with paralysis and fistula. She and her husband were forced to sell their bicycle to pay the hospital bills, and her mother abandoned her. But her faith in God saw her through, and today she is successfully repaired and the proud mother of a son delivered via caesarian section.

Mastula was in a coma and near death for weeks following a complicated labor that resulted in fistula. Her relatives abandoned her, and her husband could not afford the medicine she needed. He locked her in a room, and then brought her to his second wife, who denied her food. Although her fistula is not fully repaired, she feels much better today and is grateful to be living on her own, with her son.

Gunfire and civil war made it impossible for Mary to find a place to delivery her baby. After days and days of labour, a traditional healer assisted but the child was born dead. The villagers thought a spell had been cast, and Mary still suffers from fistula in spite of repeated surgeries. She urges other women to go to the hospital when they need help.

Kahara suffered from fistula for 21 years. After a painful three-day labour, she delivered a dead baby. The leaking began then, and traditional healers did not help -- she lived in isolation and shame. Kahara is so grateful to a friend for taking her to the hospital for surgery. She is proud to be able to wear nice clothing once again.

When she was just 20 years old, Jane had surgery for a problem with her fallopian tubes. The doctor punctured her bladder by mistake, resulting in fistula that plagued her for the next 35 years. In 2005 she heard on the radio that treatment was available and was finally repaired. She is so grateful to be able to sleep in a dry bed at last.

Irene got fistula when trying to deliver twins. An emergency hospital delivery was unsuccessful, and she started leaking urine. Traditional cures did not help, but finally a vehicle came around to her village, and Irene was given an appointment for surgery. She is now repaired and is grateful to her husband for sticking by her through this challenge.

Federesi loves to sing, but was for years afraid to go on outings with the church choir because she had to constantly wash the pads she used to soak up her leaking urine. She didn’t believe she could be helped, but when she finally agreed to go to the hospital, she was repaired successfully. She urges other women not to be afraid to seek medical care.