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Barriers to Care:
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- The procedure is often misunderstood, and women who receive one are often viewed as failures, sending them into deep shame.
- With 95 spoken languages and 27 years of civil war, Angola’s infrastructure and healthcare system have been severely fragmented.
- Mistrust of Western medicine, along with traditional beliefs and a lack of awareness, even among urban doctors, means women suffer in silence.
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The Impact of Access:
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- MAF turns a dangerous three-day journey into a one-hour flight, allowing more women to be treated by Dr. Foster and his team.
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- Around 70 per cent of women are cured after one or two surgeries.
- Two-thirds can have children again.
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MAF has remained a consistent presence in Angola for decades, maintaining a hopeful presence even at the height of the country’s instability. This reality makes it possible for programs, like Dr. Foster’s, to grow, signalling a beacon of hope for these remote communities.
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How Canadians Can Help
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MAF Canada is inviting all Canadians to join the “Lift Her Up” movement this May. A gift to the campaign provides the fuel and flight necessary to bring these women home healthy and restored. For more information or to support this life-saving campaign, visit www.maf.ca/lift.
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Media Opportunities and Assets
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Interviews with Dr. Stephen Foster and Robin Grimstead are available.
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High-resolution photos and video b-roll are also available upon request. Contact Laura Carroll ([email protected]) for more information.
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About Mission Aviation Fellowship Canada (MAF)
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Mission Aviation Fellowship is a Christian ministry that operates over 120 aircraft in 29 countries worldwide. MAF transports Christian workers, patients, relief workers, community supplies, and medical aid to the world’s most cut-off communities and places of deepest human need. Operating for over 80 years, Mission Aviation Fellowship has developed into a worldwide team of specialists; over 450 missionary staff families, including roughly 50 Canadians and their families, serve in both technical and support roles. Our mission is to serve together to bring help, hope, and healing through aviation; our vision is to see isolated people changed by the love of Christ. To learn more, visit maf.ca.
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About Dr. Stephen Foster
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Dr. Stephen Foster is a world-renowned Canadian missionary surgeon and a Clinical Associate Professor at McMaster University. For over 40 years, he has dedicated his life to serving the people of Angola, providing life-restoring surgical care in some of the world’s most challenging and isolated environments.
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As the Medical Director of the Evangelical Medical Centre of Lubango (CEML), Dr. Foster has become a global leader in the treatment of obstetric fistula. He is a passionate advocate for maternal health and has trained a generation of local medical professionals, ensuring that surgical excellence and compassionate care remain sustainable in the region.
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In recognition of his extraordinary humanitarian work and his lifelong commitment to global health, Dr. Foster received the Teasdale-Corti Humanitarian Award from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
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About Robin Grimstead
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Robin Grimstead serves as Partnership Manager for Alberta with MAF Canada. With more than 30 years of experience building meaningful relationships and partnerships, along with a background in communications, events, and fundraising, she has dedicated her career to connecting people with causes that create lasting impact. She has a long-standing passion for improving women’s health and access to care in underserved regions around the world. Through her work on initiatives like Lift Her Up – Watch Her Soar, she engages supporters in bringing essential healthcare to women in remote, cut-off communities, helping advance MAF’s mission of delivering care, dignity, and hope through aviation.
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English (US)