September 2004

In September, just a few weeks short of our one year anniversary, our team consisting of Dr. Clifford Wheeless, Dr. Julianne Newcomer, Dr. Gopal Badlani, Colonel Arthur Wittich, Dr. Lauri Romanzi, Dr. Jeffrey Wilkinson and Dr. Janet Li were at the National Hospital in Niamey. The doctors worked for 7 days straight – and, alongside our Nigerien colleagues, operated on 38 women!
We are pleased to announce that IOWD has formed a working relationship with a Nigerien Women’s Organization, Club Tenere of Niamey. This group of exceptional women have gone out to the villages and brought back many of our patients for further examination. Some of the women whose fistulas had been fixed previously, underwent sling procedures for incontinence. Club Tenere will continue to find former patients as well as new patients who remain in their villages, afraid or unaware of the help that is available to them at the National Hospital.
Before we arrived in Niamey, Club Tenere members began to meet with the fistula women living in the courtyard at the National. They arranged a formal meeting between the fistula women and IOWD doctors. One of the Club Tenere women and our special liaison, Ghaichatou (a Medical student) translated. It was an amazing evening – three women spoke on behalf of their fistula group – something they had never done before! They let us know they were frightened of the operations and wanted to know more about how the surgeries would affect their lives. The doctors answered their questions and the women seemed quite satisfied – and proud of themselves for finally being able to speak out! It was remarkable experience for all of us!