Ruth is a 50-year-old woman from Malawi. Her husband passed away in 2018, and she has been the sole provider for her family. Ruth works as a teacher and has two children, aged 16 and 7, who are in school.
For one year, Ruth has been experiencing abdominal pain, dizziness, swollen legs, and other worrisome symptoms. Her symptoms have greatly affected her health and ability to perform her teaching duties. Ruth has been diagnosed with uterine fibroids. She was scheduled for surgery at a regional referral hospital, but has faced multiple postponements due to the long surgical waiting list. Ruth was then referred to our medical partner’s hospital, Partners in Hope (PIH), for urgent attention. At PIH, the gynecologist confirmed her diagnosis and the urgent need for surgery. Ruth needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus.
On October 25th, Ruth will undergo gynecological surgery at PIH that, once recovered, will allow her to resume her daily activities free of pain. She contributed a co-pay toward her care and needs help raising $1,363 more to fund her surgery.
Ruth shared her longing to return to work, stating, “How I miss teaching.”