Mary

Twenty-year-old Mary from Bonthe District, in southern Sierra Leone, came to the Aberdeen Women’s Centre (AWC) in February 2020.

Mary has been suffering from a fistula since delivering her second child at the government hospital in Bo. Sadly, she lost this child after delivering via c-section and left the government hospital unable to control when she went to the bathroom. Her condition worsened every day after leaving the hospital and Mary became very stressed and confused. Eventually Mary’s friend told her to go to Haikal, a partner of AWC’s, where women suffering from fistula were gathering for an upcoming AWC screening trip. A week after she arrived at Haikal’s fistula rehabilitation centre, Mary was examined by AWC Fistula Nurse Hawa and it was confirmed that she did have a fistula.

Mary was brought to AWC by the screening team and was admitted, in anticipation for the arrival of the international fistula surgeon and the start of the March 2020 Fistula Camp.

On Friday 20^th March, Mary was discharged dry. She celebrated her recovery by dancing and singing in a Gladi Gladi ceremony with twenty other recovered fistula patients. Mary went back to her community with a renewed sense of confidence in addition to a new dress, handmade by the AWC tailor, a dignity pack and an AWC contact card, in case she should ever need AWC’s services again.

“I thank God for my successful surgery and also to the owner of this hospital and all donors who helped me. I feel proud to be among the other women now”.