Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital

Yesterday my husband and I went to visit the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital. (The girls were at school and my husband was happily granted permission to play hookey for a number of hours!)

What a special place that is! I had wanted to visit for a very long time, having read both the books about it “The Hospital by the River” and “Catherine’s Gift”. I have also knitted squares for Wrap With Love, an Australian charity that sends blankets to needy people around the world, including the fistula hospital.

What made the visit so special? Its hard to put my finger on it really, but I think its a lot to do with the fact that there are people who are devoting their lives to curing women of the horrible childbirth injury that is obstetric fistula. So often, these women have their lives stripped away from them far too early. Fistula surgery gives them the chance to live again, and even to have a family again. Having been up north here in Ethiopia, and looked out over the countryside, with its lack of roads, or terrible roads, you can see why medical help is not on hand for so many, and how this awful problem comes about.

Dr Catherine Hamlin, who came to Ethiopia with her late husband Reg, 50 years ago to begin this work (although they didn’t know it at the time!) is a delightful woman. She is now 86, and operates only on Thursdays – her favourite day for operating. As we were there on Thursday, she was at the time, currently in the operating theatre. Our guide for the hospital tour described her as “saintly”. I’d say that’s about right.

I was thrilled to be able to purchase some embroidered tablecloths made by patients at the hospital. They each had the name of the stitcher written on them, making them very special. The money goes directly to the women, as pocket money. (All their care is free of charge.) I don’t know if those two women have now returned to their families and villages, but wherever they are, I pray that their lives are happier and healthier now.