Project Pants

Spire Edinburgh Hospitals, Consultant Colorectal Surgeon Miss Mhairi Collie travels twice a year to Uganda. Whilst in Uganda she performs life changing surgery on women who have had complications from obstructive labour. The resulting birth injuries often leave the woman incontinent and this in turn can lead to isolation and loss of status within their communities.

During her previous visits to Uganda, Miss Collie found that most women requiring surgery do not have access to underwear or sanitary provision. That’s when our theatre team at Spire Shawfair Park Hospital decided to collect pants and the necessary items needed to make reusable sanitary pads. The charity initiative was named 'Project Pants'. In just one month the team collected over 120 pairs of pants. They also provided items such as needles, pins and safety pins, threads and a cotton bag for storing the pads.

During her visit Miss Collie gives the women what they need to make sanitary items and teaches them how to make them. The women are also given a supply of new pants.