Wilinda Blueberry Patch, 730 Frankton Road, Hood River, has opened for the season — and proceeds will provide surgeries for women suffering from obstetric fistulas.
Owned by Will and Linda Chamberlain, the berry patch is open daily from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
“The money goes to support fistula surgeries in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” said Linda Chamberlain. “We estimate that an individual surgery costs about $400 in those areas. The blueberry patch has been officially open for about a week, and we already have raised enough to cover 14 surgeries.”
According to the Fistula Foundation, more than one million women in Africa and Asia needlessly suffer from untreated fistulas. Fistulas occur when women have prolonged labor and do not have access to receiving adequate medical support such as a C-section. Not having access to proper treatment causes permanent damage and often leaves the women leaking urine and/or stools for the rest of their life, unless they are provided reparative surgery.
The Chamberlains are often in the patch, greeting pickers, but if they aren’t, their customers can still pick berries — using the honor system, customers can pay using Venmo, cash, or check.
For updates on the patch, visit Wilinda Blueberry Patch on Facebook.
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