January 2011

The IOWD January team included Dr. Daniel Brodie, Dr. Elizabeth Babin, Dr. Eric Fassler, Dr. Star Hampton, Dr. Josh Holden, Dr. David McDermott, Dr. Tim McKinney, Dr. Saifuddin Mama, Dr. Greg Owens, Dr. Kristi Pielstick, Dr. Anjali Saqi, Dr. Yonas Tesfaye, Dr. Blair Washington, Dr. Yong Tao Zheng and Anesthesia Nurses, Rebekah Cummings and Kathryn Phares. Suzy Arencibia was the only registered Nurse to join us on this trip. Fortunately for the fistula team, Suzy had everything under control!

We no longer were able use the building that had housed our patients in April and October 2010, but the Ministry of Health came to our rescue and set up two large tents for the women! Exam rooms in the Maternity area at Kibagabaga were assigned to us…and we began our work examining the patients.

The Rwandan medical students had called all the patients from October and reminded them to return for follow-up exams. Many did so…and so many women expressed their gratitude for the successful surgeries that now allowed them to live a normal life.