SACRED LEGACY ARCHIVES™

Ruth Pfau

1929-09-09 – 2017-08-10

Dr. Ruth Pfau (a German-Pakistani Philanthropist)Credit: Bernd Hartung

Life & Legacy

Ruth Katherina Martha Pfau, FCM (Urdu: رتھ فاؤ; 9 September 1929 – 10 August 2017) was a German–Pakistani Catholic 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 awards.
Pfau contributed to the establishment of 157 leprosy clinics across Pakistan that treated over 56,780 people. Fazaia Ruth Pfau Medical College and Dr. Ruth Pfau Hospital are named after her in Karachi. She died in August 2017 and was buried with full state honours.

Occupation & Career

Christian nun, physician writer, writer, physician, nun

Education

Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

Faith & Community

Catholic Church

Accomplishments, Inventions & Publications

Knight Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany; Ramon Magsaysay Award; Albert Schweitzer prize; Hilal-e-Pakistan; Klaus Hemmerle Award; honorary citizenship; honorary doctor of the University of Freiburg; Bambi Award; Marion Dönhoff Award; Itzel Award; Damien-Dutton Award; Commander of the Order of the Great Leader; honorary doctorate; Hilal-i-Imtiaz; Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany; Order of the Great Leader; Jinnah Award; Staufer Medal

Legacy Highlights

Honors & Awards

Albert Schweitzer prize · Bambi Award · Commander of the Order of the Great Leader · Damien-Dutton Award · Hilal-e-Pakistan · Hilal-i-Imtiaz · honorary citizenship · honorary doctor of the University of Freiburg · honorary doctorate · Itzel Award · Jinnah Award · Klaus Hemmerle Award · Knight Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany · Marion Dönhoff Award · Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany · Order of the Great Leader · Ramon Magsaysay Award · Staufer Medal