John Kelly - 'Fistula Legend'

As a young gynaecologist in1967 John volunteered to work for a year in a mission hospital in Nigeria. On the back of this 3 years later he agreed to go to the fistula hospital in Ethiopia to give holiday relief for the 2 doctors. Since then for 40 years he has never stopped doing short trips in scores of places all over Africa and S Asia, becoming easily the most experienced VVF surgeon in UK, with about 8,000 cases behind him.

Last week I had a call from Kitovu the largest VVF work in Uganda to help them with 40 patients remaining after a huge camp. Only one doctor remained, the 79 year-old JK. So I came, and shared a flat with him.

John is unpretentious, and humble about his extraordinary experience. He has a lovely smile and chuckles away with remarks on homespun philosophies. He still picks away at the toughest VVFs, reluctant to ever say that a case is inoperable. He has been retiring for many years, but next year may be the last. "I'm not improving much these days, David." he said.