Author: TEAM IOWD

Despite the 113-degree heat, Drs. Ralph Chesson, Cynthia Hall, Karolynn Echols, Mike Conley, Saifuddin Mama, Sage Claydon and Tam Li worked long hours to complete 52 surgeries and exam approximately 125 women. To our great delight, Dr. Abdoulaye Idrissa is now back at the National Hospital, permanently, and is working side-by-side with our doctors!

When the April team arrived at the National Hospital, we went directly to the “Fistula Courtyard”. We were overwhelmed with what we saw… hundreds of women were waiting for help! They had come from as far as the desert city of Agadez and from Maradi – 9 hours by a good 4-wheel truck. We even had patients from Mali and Benin!!! It took some of these women 4 and 5 days of difficult travel to come to Niamey!!

Despite the long hours that our team spent at the Hospital, it was impossible to exam all of the women. Patients continued to arrive everyday – and on the day we departed for home, a beautiful 14-year-old child, accompanied by her mother, arrived at the National, hoping to be helped. It was very difficult for us to leave the hospital… Fortunately, Dr. Abdoulaye is now operating on fistula patients with his own team of Nigeriens. But, unfortunately, because the operating rooms must be shared for other surgeries, Dr. Abdoulaye only has Fridays to do his fistula operations. It is the intent of the Government of Niger and the National Hospital, and IOWD, to build a Fistula/Women’s Health Bloc on the grounds of the National Hospital. With this new Bloc, Dr. Abdoulaye and his team would be able to operate on fistula patients every day!!!! We look to the future to see Niger and the National Hospital as the role model for West Africa in the repair of fistula and improved women’s health.

We extend a gracious thank you to Martha Conley, wife of Dr. Mike Conley, who once again accompanied her husband to Niamey. In the sweltering heat, Martha donned her straw hat and fearlessly braved the craziness of the Grand Marche to purchase beads for Mariama and Haoua. In between their work as nurse’s aides, our former patients, Mariama and Haoua, sat in an airless hospital classroom with Martha every afternoon, beading! They made hundreds of bracelets that were to be sold in America. Martha showed the girls different beading techniques – but more importantly, Martha constantly praised Mariama and Haoua for their work – she gave them special attention and encouraged them, as this is a wonderful way for the two young women to earn money for themselves! Martha’s dedication and perseverance in helping the fistula women is really quite remarkable. IOWD is very lucky to have such a special woman on our team!

The New Year started off with our 11th mission to Niger. Returning again were Dr. Charles Ascher-Walsh, Dr. Julianne Newcomer and Dr. Alf Bent. Joining our team as new members were Dr. Joan Blomquist, Dr. Michelle Germain, Dr. Mary Pat Fitzgerald, Dr.Linda Fan and Nurse Njoki Ng’ang’a. Our group also included IOWD Board Member, Ambassador Barbro Kirkpatrick, Deborah Lindholm, Executive Director of Foundation for Women, Dr. Anders Siem, Executive Director of Health and Development International, Irene DeWatteville of the Seth Sprague Foundation and Michelle Walter and Camilla Walter…

One hundred and two women were examined during this mission; forty-four surgeries were performed. Many of those examined were former patients returning for follow-up exams. Others were asked to return in April for surgery, as time did not allow for more operations.
Our Peace Corp Volunteer, Kim Riley, continues to be an incredibly important component of our program. When our team is not present in Niger, Kim is representing IOWD when dealing with local and international organizations in Niger. She also makes sure that a radio announcement is sent out, informing the women in villages beyond Niamey, that the American team is arriving to help them. When the women come to the Hospital, Kim interviews all of them, recording pertinent social and medical information. This has proved to be a tremendous benefit for IOWD and the National Hospital – as to keeping up-dated medical records on the patients. Kim is also teaching Mariama, Saadatou and Haoua basic language skills, and overseeing their progress in learning nursing aide skills. Kim translates for our doctors in the Operating Rooms; and she goes on twice-a-day “Rounds” with the doctors when they visit their patients in the Wards. Indeed, Kim has so many responsibilities in seeing that our program moves along with the least amount of “hitches” – it would take pages to list all that she does for IOWD!!

September’s Mission included “returning” doctors. Charles Ascher -Walsh, Janet Li, Charles Canady, Jeff Wilkinson and Bruce Crawford. New to our group was Mark Morgan, Ed Stanford, Soo Kwan, Larissa Meyer, Margaret Villers and Operating Room Technician, Michael Draddy.
Dr. Canady, Director for IOWD’s Obstetric and Gynecological program, started working in another hospital on this trip, Poudriere – a small, regional hospital in Niamey. Dr. Diatta, the Director of Poudriere, was so delighted with Dr. Canady’s assistance, he pleaded with him to return on every one of IOWD’s missions to Niamey!! Every morning, Dr. Diatta had a driver bring Dr. Canady and his Mother, Miriam Guichard, to the hospital! Dr. Canady would operate in Poudrierre in the morning and then returned to the Maternity Hospital in the afternoon to work with the OB/GYN Residents. Despite his often “difficult” schedule, Dr. Canady kept up this hectic pace with smiles and enthusiasm and plans for his next trip in September, 2006. On behalf of IOWD, Dr. Canady presented a large amount supplies and sutures and over 6,000 pairs of gloves to Poudrierre and the Maternity hospitals. Any doctor, midwife, nurse physician’s assistant or hospital professional who might be interested in joining Dr. Canady’s team in September, please contact him immediately at charles.canadyjr@verizon.net. We are presently setting up the schedule for September.

A good friend of IOWD, Miriam Guichard, returned again to help translate in the Operating Room and at meetings. Having spent 30 years in Africa , 12 of which were for the State Department, Miriam has a special understanding of how things work in this part of the world – and her French language skills are remarkable!! . Mrs. Guichard has become an invaluable member of our organization!

It was the first time we had an OR tech with us – and what a fabulous job Michael Draddy did!!! He set up the OR’s for the doctors; showed the Nigerien nurses how to prepare an instrument table, organized our supply room and wrote supply lists for the next team. Although Michael had never been to a developing country before – and certainly never worked in one – he did an outstanding job for IOWD!!! We look forward to his return trip with us in 2006.

High School student, Paul Stanford, also joined us. Paul did an outstanding job teaching computer skills to students from CES Rive Droite High School. It was marvelous to see the interaction between Paul and the Nigerien students. It’s amazing to see teenagers from completely different cultures and backgrounds come together, sharing and laughing and enjoying that special time. We are all very proud of Paul and what he was able to accomplish on this September trip.

Following is a letter written by one of our September doctors:
“I am so grateful to you that I have been given the opportunity to serve. In so doing, I have found peace and hope that I have not experienced in a long time. What you are offering to Niger and its women and us is a gift. I will always be thankful for allowing me to see what is important in life. . .”

And from Michael Draddy:
“The experience one has in Niger is not one that leaves when you depart. It stays with you and finds its way into your everyday life; your demeanor, your decisions and your thoughts. It was a privilege to be of some help, and the Nigerien people are very appreciative of any help one can offer.”