President Donna Cope’s charity for 2013/14 has been the Uganda Childbirth Injuries Fund (UCIF) which was set up in 2001 Dr Brian Hancock and Dr Mhari Collie FRCS.
Brenda Gray, a theatre nurse and Mr Glyn Constantine a gynaecologist became trustees of the charity in 2004. Brenda is also a member of SI Lichfield & District and last July gave an enlightening talk to club members about her visits to the Kamuli Mission Hospital in Uganda and the poor conditions under which they perform operations on women with fistula injuries.
Glyn Constantine gave a brief update to club members at their AGM and Meeting on 9th April 2014 about how he became involved with the charity. Glyn explained that during prolonged labour the pressure of the baby’s head against the pelvis wears a hole between the bladder and the vagina and sometimes the rectum. This will never heal so the women, or in many cases girls of no more than 12 or 13 will be incontinent for life unless they can find someone to perform a surgical repair. Each operation costs £150.00 which is funded entirely by the UCIF.
Glyn was therefore delighted when President Donna handed over a cheque for £900.00 which had been raised from various club activities throughout the year.