WEST AFRICA FISTULA FOUNDATION
UPDATE – August 18, 2009
Dear Friends and Supporters,
We had an extremely successful trip this last month to Sierra Leone. This trip had a very unique and exciting meaning to it. I was accompanied by two young and aspiring students from the United States, that plan on becoming doctors. Preston Spindle and Taylor Reed traveled along with me for their first adventure to Africa. Preston will be starting medical school this fall and Taylor, a recent graduate from Denison High School, also plans on becoming a physician. I was fortunate enough to have delivered both of these youngsters while practicing in Denison, Texas.
Besides Taylor and Preston, two Scottish med students, Lorne Mitchell and Natalie Smee, were also in our camp. With these 4 youngsters helping and active in the care of the patients, hopefully a seed will be planted that will bear fruit for the people of Sierra Leone and other countries that are in such desperate need of medical treatment.
I will never forget when Dr. Jack Robertson, a World Renown Urogynecologist now living with his lovely wife Janice in Santa Ynez California, planted that seed within me some 33 years ago when he shared his experience in helping women with obstetrical fistula during my training at Charity Hospital New Orleans, Louisiana.
We saw and treated many women with obstetrical fistula and other illnesses but also accomplished what I consider a coup. Dr. Dahan Sheref, a Sierra Leonean born gentleman who has been in the United States for the last 36 years, has volunteered to lead the program. Dr Sheref has returned to Sierra Leone to help his people and has the exact dream that our Foundation has and that is to empower the Sierra Leonean people to take command of their own destination and with a little help from outside, develop a Medical Center in West Africa that will be second to none.
Staff physician Dr. Philp A. Koroma the only Obstetrician/Gynecologist in the Provinces will assist Dr. Sheref in this dream.
I will not go into details about our last trip, but we continue to be very encouraged by the enthusiasm of the Sierra Leonean run team we have in place. We had numerous surgical cases and successes and feel so fortunate when these women are able to return to their villages dry and no longer an outcast.
Again thank you so much for your support and encouragement and most of all your prayers.
Sincerely,
Darius R. Maggi M.D.
3621 Pottsboro Road #150 Denison, TX 75020 903-463-9400 Office 903-819-7250 Cell