When Jamie Thomson read about the issue of obstetric fistula in Peter Singer’s book, The Life You Can Save in late 2021, he knew he wanted to do something to help. The more he learned about the condition, the more committed he became.
“The women with fistula injuries in Ethiopia are people, just as we are. Just hearing a description of obstetric fistula was enough to make me want to do something to help. There are a great many deserving causes in the world. To my mind, the plight of fistula sufferers in Ethiopia is no less deserving than any other cause and the example set by Catherine and Reg, in devoting their lives in the way that they did, illustrates this,” says Jamie.
Originally from the UK, Jamie moved to Australia in 1991 and lives here with his wife, Jenny and their two children, Sophie and Matthew. Jamie’s parents still live in Shropshire in England and his sister, Lorna, lives in London.
Jamie’s father had done long walks in the UK to raise money for local charities in both 2020 and 2021 and Jamie soon decided that he would travel to the UK to join them for the Mary Jones Walk in Wales for their 2022 fundraiser.
In 1800, 15-year old Mary Jones walked 28 miles from her tiny village to buy a Welsh bible, for which she had saved up for years. Mary undertook the journey barefoot. It was immediately obvious to Jamie that he should attempt the walk barefoot, as Mary had done 222 years earlier, to increase the physical challenge.
Jamie also decided to turn his barefoot walk into a fundraiser for the Catherine Hamlin Fistula Foundation. Fundraising was not something he had done before but, given Jamie’s recent discovery of obstetric fistula, it was obvious to him that this should be the focus of his fundraising efforts.
He started a fundraising page. Before, during and after the walk, he told people who he thought would like to support him about the walk, the medical issue of obstetric fistula and the Catherine Hamlin Fistula Foundation.
Jamie went to incredible lengths to prepare himself for his barefoot challenge. He did lots of barefoot walking (including barefoot bushwalking), joined the Society for Barefoot Living and read three books about barefoot walking. He even consulted a podiatrist.
“The walk was a fantastic experience on many levels. I got to spend time with my parents and sister for the first time in four years and we had something to focus on and strive for. The scenery was spectacular and the weather was close to perfect. On Day 1, I carried shoes in my backpack and came close to putting them on during a long gravel section. On subsequent days I didn’t carry shoes, so I could not be tempted to put them on.
The most uplifting moments were the times when the scenery was at its finest, when we stopped to talk to two other walkers on Day 1 (virtually the only other walkers we saw during the whole walk), when I realised (on Day 2 or 3) that I would probably achieve my challenge and the wonderful messages of support and encouragement I received during the walk,” says Jamie.
All Jamie’s efforts were rewarded. He received contributions from his work colleagues and networks in Australia and also received donations from neighbours and family members, some of whom are in the UK.
Jamie raised a huge $3252, smashing his target of $2249!
When asked how he feels, knowing his efforts are transforming the lives of Ethiopian women, Jamie says,
“It makes me feel terrific! I started reading The Hospital by the River on the flight from Sydney to Manchester and finished it part-way through the walk so I was really immersed in Catherine’s story while undertaking the challenge. It helped me to know that whatever discomfort I was experiencing on the walk was insignificant compared with the hardship endured by women afflicted by obstetric fistula in Ethiopia.”
Thank you and congratulations on a truly remarkable effort, Jamie!
