The Express Tribune: Eight years on, Dr Ruth Pfau's legacy still touches thousands
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Ruth Pfau
Ruth Katherina Martha Pfau, FCM was a German–Pakistani Catholic Christian religious sister and physician who was a member of the "Society of the Daughters of the Heart of Mary". She emigrated from Germany in 1961 and devoted more than 55 years of her life to fighting leprosy in Pakistan. Pfau was honoured with Hilal-e-Pakistan, Hilal-i-Imtiaz, Nishan-i-Quaid-i-Azam, and the Sitara-i-Quaid-i-Azam a…
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science · German-Pakistani physician and nun · Christian nun · physician writer · writer · physician · nun · also Ruth Pfau, Pfau
Born 9 September 1929 · Died 10 August 2017 · Q77128
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2025· 1 entry
2018· 1 entry
Pfau's private residence in Karachi was converted into a museum to showcase some of her personal possessions
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2017· 4 entries
Newsweek Pakistan: State Funeral for Ruth Pfau
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The Roanoke Times: Ruth Pfau, a German nun who ministered to Pakistan's leprosy patients, dies at 87
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Smithsonian Magazine: Ruth Pfau, “Mother of Leprosy Patients,” Has Died
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Died 2017-08-10.
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2015· 2 entries
Won Staufer Medal (2015).
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Pfau was awarded the Staufer Medal, the highest award of the German state of Baden-Württemberg
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2014· 2 entries
Awarded Klaus Hemmerle Award (2014).
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Awarded honorary doctor of the University of Freiburg (2014).
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2012· 1 entry
Awarded Bambi Award (2012).
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2010· 1 entry
Awarded Order of the Great Leader (2010).
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2006· 1 entry
Pfau was honoured as the 'Woman of the Year 2006' by City FM89
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2005· 1 entry
Awarded Marion Dönhoff Award (2005).
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2004· 2 entries
Awarded honorary doctorate presented by Aga Khan University (2004).
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Awarded Albert Schweitzer prize (2004).
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2003· 2 entries
Awarded Itzel Award (2003).
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Awarded Jinnah Award (2003).
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2002· 1 entry
Awarded Ramon Magsaysay Award (2002).
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1996· 1 entry
The World Health Organization declared Pakistan one of the first countries in Asia to have controlled leprosy
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1991· 1 entry
Awarded Damien-Dutton Award (1991).
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1989· 1 entry
Awarded Hilal-e-Pakistan (1989).
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1988· 1 entry
Awarded honorary citizenship presented by Pakistan (1988).
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1985· 1 entry
Awarded Knight Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (1985).
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1979· 2 entries
Awarded Hilal-i-Imtiaz (1979).
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Was appointed as the Federal Advisor on Leprosy to the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare of Government of Pakistan
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1969· 2 entries
Awarded Commander of the Order of the Great Leader (1969).
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Awarded Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (1969).
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1961· 1 entry
And devoted more than 55 years of her life to fighting leprosy in Pakistan
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1960· 2 entries
A visa issue meant she had to stay in Karachi
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Aged 31, Pfau decided to dedicate the rest of her life to the people of Pakistan and their battle against leprosy outbreaks
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1957· 1 entry
Pfau travelled to Paris and joined the Daughters of the Heart of Mary, a Catholic order
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1951· 1 entry
Before her conversion to Roman Catholicism in 1953
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1929· 1 entry
Born 1929-09-09.
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