RehabCare Goes to Haiti
RehabCare recently funded and sent 4 of our therapists to help in relief efforts from the earthquake in Haiti that occurred on January 12, 2010. The therapists came from across the country and converged on this ravaged nation to offer much-needed therapy services. Program Director Steve Jackson from Los Angeles, CA, Program Director Kim Allen from Rochester, MI, OT Beth Walton from Lancaster, PA and Anne Foerhweiser from Rolla, MO were among those offering their services to the citizens of Haiti. Here is an excerpt of a letter written by Kim Allen detailing their experiences in Haiti. You can also check out pictures from their trip on our Facebook or Flickr pages.
Here is what Kim has to say about her trip:
When we arrived in Cap Haitien, we had no idea what to expect. Cap Haitien is located on the north coast of Haiti. The airport was not much bigger than a double wide trailer, and going through customs was quite an experience! The drive through the streets of Cap Haitien revealed a very unkempt city, with garbage piled
high along the streets. It made us wonder what exactly we were getting ourselves into.
The Crudem compound was a 30 minute drive in a converted pickup truck with cap. There were
eight or nine of us crammed in the back-luggage and all! When we arrived at the Crudem compound, we were welcomed by the current volunteer staff, and were promptly taken to the M*A*S*H-style tents that housed the earthquake victims and their families. The tents had approximately 80-90 people that were “living there” many since January-victims and families. Some of the folks that were there had everything that they owned in the world packed in a few hospital “personal belongings” bags. Yet when we walked in, you did not see people that were depressed, angry, or feeling sorry for themselves. Instead you met people who had joy and happiness in their voices and in their hearts, and welcomed the newest group of volunteers with open arms!
Hopital Sacre Coeur is located in the city of Milot. The hospital is considered the “Mayo Clinic” of
Haiti. All of the patients with the most complex injuries from the earthquake were airlifted to Sacre Coeur. The earthquake victims are housed directly across from the hospital were they have turned two schools and the schoolyard into a makeshift rehab hospital with M*A*S*H-style tents serving as hospital units. There are many victims with single and double amputations, spinal cord injuries, and multiple trauma orthopedic injuries. We were able to provide the much needed physical and occupational therapy for the patients, but many times we had to be creative in our delivery of care. For example, the compound has received many donations of walkers and crutches-there is a tent that has literally hundreds of unused assistive devices. But the patients that we were working with are 5 months post-injury, and many of them are ready to progress to canes. There are a limited number of canes available, and many were broken. Steve, our physical therapist and PD from California, used some makeshift tools and began sawing of pieces from crutches and walkers to repair the few canes that were available.
The average temperature in Haiti was 98 degrees, and let me tell you, it was at least 20 degrees warmer in the tents! We were all pretty much soaking wet all day long! But the incredible experience of working with the Haitian people well outweighed the misery of the heat and humidity.
I think that I can speak for all of us when I say that when we went to Haiti, we expected to give to the Haitian people, but in reality, it was our new Haitian friends who gave to us!
