Ruth Pfau is Awarded the "Marion Dönhoff Prize"

"The mother of Leprosy infected persons" is honoured for her life‘s work

The famous nun Dr. Ruth Pfau was awarded the „Marion Dönhoff Prize“ in November 2005. The top prize is awarded to the doctor for more than 40 years‘ work for the ill and disadvantaged in Pakistan. Together with DAHW which supports her work significantly, the 76-year-old has succeeded in getting Leprosy in Pakistan under control.

The renowned prize was awarded by the weekly newspaper DIE ZEIT together with the ZEIT foundation “Ebelin and Gerd Bucerius” and with the Marion Dönhoff foundation. A panel inclusive of the former Federal Chancellor Helmut Schmidt and the former President of the Federal Republic of Germany Richard von Weizsäcker, chose the nun as prize winner. „Due to her untiring dedication Ruth Pfau has prevented exclusion of Leprosy Sufferers from their communities and has made an unprecedented contribution to international understanding“.

„I am delighted to receive this award but I also have a guilty conscience about interrupting my work to receive this prize“, Ruth Pfau‘s reaction. The „Marion Dönhoff Prize“ is worth 20,000 euros. Ruth Pfau plans to use the money for relief projects in Pakistan.

Thanks to Ruth Pfau, it has been possible so far to cure 50,000 people of Leprosy. That is why the nun is referred to as „The mother of Leprosy infected persons“. However, up to 1,000 new cases are still registered in Pakistan each year. At the same time, the doctor also treats other diseases, in particular Tuberculosis: yearly some 50,000 cases are recorded in Pakistan.