Catherine Hamlin

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Catherine Hamlin, AC, (Born 24 January 1924) is an Obstetrician and Gynecologist is the co-founder of Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, the world’s only medical center dedicated exclusively to providing free fistula repair surgery to poor women suffering from childbirth injuries. Many women can't afford to pay for the surgery, so Dr Hamlin gallantly provided the surgery for free.

Dr Hamlin was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. After graduating from the University of Sydney Medical School in 1946, Dr. Hamlin (then Catherine Nicholson) took a resident position at the Crown Street Women's Hospital under the medical directorship of Dr. Reginald Hamlin, whom she later married. In 1959, she and her husband traveled to Ethiopia to establish a school of midwifery in Addis Ababa. Fifteen years later they founded Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital. Dr Hamlin and her husband have saved over 24,000 women's lives along with a team of doctors help.

Dr Hamlin has been awarded honorary fellowships in the medical associations of Australia, England and the United States. She is the author of the best-selling book The Hospital by the River.

In 1995 Dr Hamlin was awarded Australia highest honour being made a Companion of the Order of Australia.