A difficult story to tell this Christmas

Channel 4 features our Christmas appeal and maternity charging

Mary was pregnant as result of a ‘corrective’ rape, which was to cure her homosexuality.

After the event, she was rejected by her family, sent to the UK, and found herself alone and scared. She had nowhere to turn and for months hid her pregnancy and the reason why she was in London.

Up to her third trimester, she had never seen a doctor.

Mary eventually visited Doctors of the World clinic in Bethnal Green. The team moved quickly, got her registered with a GP and access antenatal care, and provided nappies and baby clothes.

“Doctors of the World is my family now” says Mary.

She gave birth to a beautiful baby girl at the end of July and is delighted everything went well in labour and delivery. Now, Mary often comes around the clinic to show her baby off.

Your donation this Christmas can ensure we help more women like Mary, keeping our clinic and helpline open in 2019.

From a public health perspective, it is awful to see women denied basic healthcare because of a lack of money. 

Doctors of the World works to ensure that women like Mary get an empathetic response, respect, and practical help. Women often leave our clinic smiling when they arrived in tears.

By giving, you will help other women like Mary at a difficult time. They place enormous value in having a routine antenatal check, listening to their baby’s heartbeat, getting pregnancy vitamins and information on pregnancy health. And so do we. 

Please support our Christmas appeal today. For Mary, and for women in vulnerable circumstances.

*Name changed to protect identity

*Picture does not represent Mary