Catherine Hamlin

Catherine Hamlin
Catherine Hamlin 2009
Born	Elinor Catherine Nicholson (1924-01-24) 24 January 1924 (age 93) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Nationality	Australian
Occupation	Obstetrician

Elinor Catherine Hamlin (née Nicholson), AC, MBBS, FRCS, FRANZCOG, FRCOG (born 24 January 1924), is an Australian obstetrician and gynaecologist who, with her husband, New Zealander Dr. Reginald Hamlin, co-founded the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, the world's only medical centre dedicated exclusively to providing free obstetric fistula repair surgery to poor women suffering from childbirth injuries. They also co-founded an associated non-profit organisation, Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia.

Hamlin has been recognised by the United Nations agency UNFPA as a pioneer in fistula surgery for her development of techniques and procedures for obstetric fistula treatment. The Hamlins, together with the hospital staff, have treated more than 45,000 women to date for obstetric fistula.

Elinor Catherine Nicholson was raised in the Sydney suburb of Ryde, at "The Hermitage", built by John Blaxland in 1842. One of six children of Elinor and Theodore Nicholson, she went to Frensham School in Mittagong, before attending the University of Sydney and graduating from its Medical School in 1946.

After internships at St Joseph’s Hospital, Auburn, and St George's Hospital, Kogarah, she became a resident in obstetrics at Crown Street Women's Hospital. In 1950, she married Dr Reginald Hamlin, medical superintendent at Crown Street.