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Hamlin strives to give every woman the dignity and fullness of life they deserve.
In some cases an operation to fix a fistula is very straight forward. In other cases, such as in the case of 34-year-old Beburuyosh it can take a lot longer.
After suffering 4 days of obstructed labour during her first pregnancy, Beburuyosh suffered severe injuries. It was a condition she lived with for 18 years. 18 years of suffering.
When she came to the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, her injuries were so severe it took more than 5 operations to correct the damage to her bladder, but in addition to that, she received counselling and skill training in farming.
This reflects Catherine Hamlin’s model of care that we must treat the whole individual, not just the condition they suffer. During 2017 over 600 patients received education & skills training as part of Hamlin’s reintegration program.
For Beburuyosh, despite the long and arduous treatment the result was more than worth it. After living isolated and embarrassed, she is now applying her training to her farm and in turn, teaching these techniques to other farmers in her village.
