Rose's Story
In 1989, Rose was pregnant with her second child.
Everything seemed fine until she went into labour. 
Rose didn’t have the money or transportation to have her baby at a health centre. Instead, like many women in Kenya, Rose would give birth at home with her women from her community at her side to help.
But during labour something went terribly wrong. Rose’s baby was not moving and got stuck in the birth canal.
Rose was in excruciating pain for over 12 hours. There was no vehicle to get her to a clinic so her neighbours finally loaded her – into a wheelbarrow –and pushed her there.
Rose’s baby was removed at the clinic. Sadly, the baby was stillborn.
Devastated after losing her baby, Rose had no idea the worst was yet to come – she had suffered from fistula.
Fistulas happen when a baby gets lodged in the birth canal for an extended period of time and there is no doctor or midwife to help. The pressure of labour crushes the baby’s head against the mother’s reproductive organs. If she survives, her injury leaves a gap – the fistula.
Women with fistulas lose control of their bowels and bladders. This is exactly what happened to Rose.
When Rose returned to see the doctor at the clinic he told her there was nothing he could do to help.
Rose returned home scared, confused and humiliated. No matter what she did, urine was constantly leaking from her body.
Life of Solitude and Shame
For the next 20 years – yes, 20 years – Rose barely left her house. She did her best to care for her child but her husband left her. Rose wondered whether she was fortunate or cursed to have survived after losing her baby – every day was so painful.
Having given up hope for a normal life, Rose received a call from her brother one day. He had heard on the radio that AMREF was offering a free surgery for women suffering from her condition.
Rose’s brother brought her to Nairobi and she was signed up for surgery the next day.
AMREF surgeon Dr. Weston Wakasiaka performed the simple operation to correct Rose’s fistula.
Dr. Wakasisaka’s outreach clinic completed the corrective surgery on 100 other women as well. The clinic also trained doctors on how to perform the simple procedure.
After two decades – Rose finally had her life back.
You can Make a Difference
Did you know fistulas haven’t existed in Canada for more than 100 years? This is because women living in Canada have access to basic health care. Sadly in Africa women don’t.
But you can help.
It costs $200 to transform a woman’s life like Rose – covering the cost of the surgery, bus fare and food. Any gift you can give will help.
