Product Description

Gynaecologists Catherine and Reg Hamlin left Australia in 1959 on a short contract to establish a midwifery school in Ethiopia. Over 40 years later, Catherine is still there, running one of the most outstanding medical programmes in the world. Through this work thousands of women have been able to resume a normal existence after living as outcasts. The Hamlins, both committed Christians, dedicated their lives to women suffering the catastrophic effects of obstructed labour - a problem easily dealt with in the developed world by assisted delivery or caesarean section, but disastrous without medical intervention. The awful injuries that such labour produces are called fistulae, and until the Hamlins began their work in Ethiopia, fistula sufferers were neglected and forgotten - a vast group of women facing a lifetime of incapacity and degradation. Catherine and Reg have successfully operated on over 20,000 women, and the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, the hospital they opened in 1975, has become a major teaching institution for surgeons from all over Ethiopia and the developing world. Since Reg's death, Catherine has continued their work, and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999. This book is her story. Set against the vivid backdrop of Ethiopia, it is a moving and utterly compelling account of an extraordinary life.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #57959 in Books
• Published on: 2004-10-22
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 308 pages

Synopsis
Gynaecologists Catherine and Reg Hamlin left Australia in 1959 on a short contract to establish a midwifery school in Ethiopia. Over 40 years later, Catherine is still there, running one of the most outstanding medical programmes in the world. Through this work thousands of women have been able to resume a normal existence after living as outcasts. The Hamlins, both committed Christians, dedicated their lives to women suffering the catastrophic effects of obstructed labour - a problem easily dealt with in the developed world by assisted delivery or caesarean section, but disastrous without medical intervention. The awful injuries that such labour produces are called fistulae, and until the Hamlins began their work in Ethiopia, fistula sufferers were neglected and forgotten - a vast group of women facing a lifetime of incapacity and degradation. Catherine and Reg have successfully operated on over 20,000 women, and the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, the hospital they opened in 1975, has become a major teaching institution for surgeons from all over Ethiopia and the developing world.

Since Reg's death, Catherine has continued their work, and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999. This book is her story. Set against the vivid backdrop of Ethiopia, it is a moving and utterly compelling account of an extraordinary life.

Customer Reviews

inspirational
Having watched a TV documentary about the Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia several years ago, I was greatly interested to read the full story of the Doctors Hamlin. What a remarkable couple - true humanitarians in every sense. What they have achieved is truly astonishing.
These poor young Ethiopian girls have endured pain, isolation and degredation through ignorance and poor health care, some as young as 13 going through many days of labour to deliver a dead baby, and then suffering terrible internal injuries often resulting in fistula, leaving them incontinent and destined to a life of shame. Doctors Reg and Catherine Hamlin from Australia pioneered reconstructive surgery and have a 93% success rate of curing these women, literally giving them their lives back. They train health care workers, midwives, doctors and have opened outreach clinics and a safe permanent home for the few they cannot cure. Theirs is a heart-warming story - I cried when I read it. There are some truly selfless people in the world, who genuinely care for others. I urge you to read this book. It will make you appreciate just how lucky we are to be born into a society where women are educated and have access to proper health care.

Incredible
I read this book as a first year medical student and it has inspired me throughout my studies... I'm currently planning my medical elective to Ethiopia due to this book!
Read it, I am certain you will find it incredible.

Inspirational
This book chronicles the work of the Hamlins, doctors from the UK who set up a women's hospital in Ethiopia. The book really highlights just how horrendous life can be for women in areas of the world where there is little health infrastructure, but unlike alot of investigative journalism for example, which deals with similar issues, there is light at the end of the tunnel in the form of the Hamlin's ongoing activities. A great example of what commitment, dedication, faith and love can do in the face of despair.

In addition there are some really interesting bits of medical history thrown in as well. Highly recommended.