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Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. HUGE thanks to those who supported me to COMPLETE the Cycletta South on September 11th 2011. It was a great day, a huge challenge and an exhilerating ride! I plan to raise more money for fistula care in Ethiopia in the future, so watch out!. I became interested in this charity after reading the novel 'Cutting for Stone' By Abraham Verghese. Most nights I am in bed with a good book and definitely not at the gym! I would like to be a hero but it is completely beyond me. So I am just doing what I can. Each year between 50 000 to 100 000 women worldwide are affected by obstetric fistula, a hole in the birth canal. The development of obstetric fistula is directly linked to one of the major causes of maternal mortality: obstructed labour. Women who experience obstetric fistula suffer constant incontinence, shame, social segregation and health problems. It is estimated that more than 2 million young women live with untreated obstetric fistula in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Obstetric fistula is preventable; it can largely be avoided by: <ul> <li style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; color: #4f81bd; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;" class="MsoNormal">delaying the age of first pregnancy;</li> <li style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; color: #4f81bd; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;" class="MsoNormal">the cessation of harmful traditional practices; </li> <li style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; color: #4f81bd; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;" class="MsoNormal">timely access to obstetric care. </li> </ul> Preventing and managing obstetric fistula contribute to the Millennium Development Goal 5 of improving maternal health. <a title="Opens in a new window" href="http://www.who.int/features/factfiles/obstetric_fistula/en/">Read the fact file on obstetric fistula</a> <a href="http://www.who.int/features/factfiles/obstetric_fistula/facts/en/index9.html">http://www.who.int/features/factfiles/obstetric_fistula/facts/en/index9.html</a> Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

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