Kellen is a 35 year-old woman who came to the MFH/MUST fistula camp needing repair for a severe perineal tear that occurred during childbirth. Like many of our patients, Kellen struggled with the physical and emotional burdens of her severe perineal tear, which resulted in her being incontinent to stool as well has experiencing pain during intercourse. She explains to us, through translator, how her personal life suffered. “This affected me in a way that I couldn’t socialize in the community. There was self-esteem [issues]. I did not feel comfortable enough in society. In actual sense, I couldn’t go where there were some [social] gatherings.”

With the aim of improving the quality of Kellen’s life through restoring her continence, Kellen underwent a perineal repair and sphincteroplasty by the MFH and MUST surgeons. She is already feeling new hope for her recovery. She tells us, through translator, “I am already expecting that I will heal because so far, I have already seen the indicators, the signs, that compared to how I was, I am now better than how I was.”

Although some of Kellen’s health concerns may start to lessen, she still worries about how she will get home. Kellen explained to us that she tried to look for money to come to the hospital, and she does not have the means to pay for her 70 km journey home. To exacerbate existing financial burdens, patients are also typically expected to provide their own food and water while staying at the hospital, as well as medical supplies, like gloves and gauze, to be used on them. MFH was able to provide these resources to Kellen, and she explains how significant it is to have one less worry: “Here in the hospital [camp] where they have organized lunch and breakfast, this assists with [not having to pay] that expenditure. I thank them, so that they can continue coming in to intervene with these problems of women, especially to those who are in need of financial [support].”

At MFH, every little bit goes a long way.