Patient Stories : Evelesi
Married at 20, Evelesi (now 47) lived with obstetric fistula for 16 years following the birth of her third child.
With no transport of her own, Evelesi had to stay at home in labor until a relative was able to take her to the nearby health center the next day. She was referred to a hospital, but as her pregnancy was very complicated she was referred once more to the Central hospital, where she was given a c-section. Sadly, Evelesi lost the baby. A week later, having been discharged from hospital, she noticed she was leaking urine.
Over the years Evelesi visited many hospitals for treatment but none were able to help. In 2012 Evelesi was listening to the radio and heard about our Fistula Care Centre in Bwaila. She made her way to the center, was assessed, successfully repaired and remained dry for 9 years. In 2021 she started leaking again so came back to the center to be repaired. She is dry once more.
During the 16 years prior to treatment Evelesi told us she felt unable to move around the village freely, people spoke ill of her and didn’t want to be near her as they said she smelled. Her own friends used to laugh at her and this understandably made her very depressed. This is not an uncommon story and nobody should be made to feel this way. Now she is healed, Evelesi is a happy woman, she is free from fistula and living her best life!
“I am very grateful that FCC has cured me from fistula, I will forever be grateful.”
