Brenda Gray, who became a member of Lichfield & District Soroptimists in January 2013, gave the Club an enlightening talk about her work in Uganda, at the Kamuli Mission Hospital. Brenda is a Trustee of the Uganda Childbirth Injuries Fund (Registered Charity No. 1099135). The Charity, which was set up in 2001 by Dr Brian Hancock and Dr Mhari Collie FRCS, is one which President Donna has selected to support for her year. The priority of the charity is to:-
1) Pay for women to have free treatment (£150.00 covers the cost of one patient)
2) Purchase sutures and instruments not available locally
3) Support travel costs of those performing and learning the surgery.
Brenda, a theatre nurse, described how in Uganda and other poor countries women deliver at home or far from medical help. If the woman develops obstruction in labour it can lead to death or delivery of a stillborn baby, after days of agony in labour. During this 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 woman will be incontinent for life unless she can find someone to perform a surgical repair.
Brenda explained that working conditions at the Mission Hospital are appalling with power cuts occurring at any time. The team make 3 visits per year, carrying out 25 to 32 operations each visit. She concluded by explaining how humbling it is when patients who have been successfully treated return to the mission with gifts they can ill afford. It is not unusual to be given a live chicken and on one occasion Brenda discovered she was the proud owner of half a goat!
The picture above shows Dr Hancock with patients who have brought gifts of gratitude. The Club is planning a fund raising event for this Charity later in the year.