In the News

3rd Annual Night Out for Fistula Benefits Worldwide Fistula Fund

September 20, 2018

Dr. Lewis Wall, Founder to Be Keynote Speaker at Event

Seattle, WA — On October, 18, 2018 Worldwide Fistula Fund (WFF) will host the 3rd Annual Night Out For Fistula fundraising event at Mount Baker Community Club.

The evening will feature keynote speaker Dr. Lewis Wall. Wall has dedicated his life to helping women and girls devastated by obstetric fistula, a life shattering injury developed during prolonged, obstructed labor that leaves survivors physically disabled, often ostracized and living in isolation.

“Obstetric fistula is largely a disease of poverty, and Sub-Saharan Africa is extremely poor,” Wall said.

Wall will discuss the roots of his work in Africa, his founding of WFF in 1995, and how WFF is solving this centuries-old problem in sub-Saharan Africa. Dr. Wall currently serves as a consultant and Director Emeritus. He has a long history of researching and addressing the health challenges faced by women in Africa. Dr. Wall was named the first holder of the Selina Okin Kim Conner Professorship in Arts and Sciences for Medical Anthropology at Washington University in St. Louis in July 2015.

“I have witnessed the healthcare conditions some of these women endure as well as the current shortage of trained medical personnel to provide necessary care to address childbirth injuries,” Wall said. “I feel privileged working with Worldwide Fistula Fund toward treating obstetric fistula.”

Additionally, Dr. Wall will discuss his recently published book “Tear for My Sisters: The Tragedy of Obstetric Fistula.” Wall will be available to sign books at the event.

Night Out for Fistula isn’t just a fundraising event for women devastated by childbirth injuries. It’s also a celebration of Africa’s rich culture, said David Wolf, WFF Senior Manager of Advancement and Marketing.

“We want our guests to leave with a tremendous understanding and appreciation of the difficulties women and girls face in Africa, but we also want to celebrate the wonderful spirit of the survivors we serve,” said Barb Gauld, formerly One By One and newly elected WFF Board Member. 

To help capture that spirit, WFF will serve African-inspired food and will have live music by the Anzanga Marimba Ensemble, an African music group based in Seattle. Guests will have the opportunity to purchase jewelry, stuffed animals and wallets crafted by survivors in WFF’s vocational training programs. This popular annual event originally created by One By One continues under the Worldwide Fistula Fund name. Guests may look forward to connecting with many familiar faces from the Seattle team of WFF.

In 2018, Seattle-based fistula service organization One by One (OBO) joined forces with Worldwide Fistula Fund. These two organizations are natural partners because programming for each has always been based on the same philosophy. “Beyond funding, we both strategically partner with local groups in low-resource countries to help locals address women’s healthcare needs,” states Soja Orlowski, WFF Executive Director.  

The event will take place 6 – 9 p.m. at Mount Baker Community Club, 2811 Mount Rainier Drive South, Seattle, WA 98144. Tickets are $30 and include African inspired appetizers and desserts, authentic African-style Marimba music, and beer and wine.