In the Press

Dr. Christopher Walshe and a young patient in Nigeria.

They come from all walks of life and all medical specialties. Some are from large hospital systems, others from small-town clinics. Some are men, and some are women. Their ranks in¬clude those fresh out of medical school, as well as retirees. But what these caring and, some would say, daring doctors share is a common desire to spread hope and help in some of the world's poorest regions.

The search for physicians in our region who participate in medical missions was astoundingly easy. Everyone, it seems, knows someone who does. Our e-mail inbox was quickly full of wonderful, amazing and often poignant stories. Although it would be impossible to share all of them with you, we selected a small group of doctors whose work is representative of the kind of efforts going on worldwide. Their faith and willingness to step out of the comfort zone of modern, Western medicine has been an inspiration to their patients and colleagues, both here and around the globe.

"With what I do here [in the U.S.], I could drop dead now on the phone and someone could pick up and do what I do. When I go there, I know I'm making a real impact on someone's life."

That's how pelvic reconstructive surgeon Dr. Christopher Walshe explains his four medical mission trips to Nigeria since 1997. For several weeks, Walshe performs fistula surgeries from dawn until nearly midnight in a tiny, tropical clinic with rudimentary tools and erratic electrical power.

"I work at a hospital between the Muslim northern part and the Christian southern part. When the power fails, we have to operate by flashlight or by window light. There's a lot of disease HIV, malaria and lots of other diseases that could kill you — and there are political and social tensions on the region. It can be scary and you do worry. It is my faith that keeps me in one piece."

"When I go there, I know I'm making a real impact on someone's life."

There is clearly an overwhelming need for Walshe's particular type of surgical expertise. As many as 3 million women in sub-Saharan Africa are believed to suffer from fistulas, trau¬matic injuries to the vaginal wall that can occur during difficult childbirth, leaving patients incontinent, and often ostracized by friends and family.

"These types of injuries were common in the U.S. in the 1800s when there were few physicians available to do operative deliveries," says Walshe. "Today, in Africa, the problems are exacerbated by the climate and poor care in general."

Despite the challenges (he remembers well the abdominal surgery he was once forced to perform with nothing but Valium for the patient), Walshe is planning yet another trip to Nigeria. He'll perform six to seven surgeries each day of his stay, but worries his efforts barely scratch the surface of the problem.

"For every one case that we identify, there are probably three that are never treated, due to access and travel issues."