Despite the fact that it has been more than a year after the devastating earthquake in Haiti, people there are still in desperate need of help. It’s amazing to realize that even a small donation can save a life. Let me give you a little background. One of my staff RDs, Jill, has a sister named Karen, who is an RN working with Project Medishare in Haiti. Karen is in charge of the ICU at the Port au Prince Hospital in Haiti. Karen informed us that the hospital was in very short supply of tube feeding formulas and other essential nutrition products to support their patients. We started raising funds to purchase nutrition products, and also sent some protein supplements and some elemental formula that one of our facilities donated and had it hand delivered to Karen by another volunteer that flew to Haiti to help.
I just received this note from Karen. It brought me to tears to know that such a small gift actually saved a young girl’s life.
Dear Becky and Jill,
Just wanted to give you guys an update on what is happening with the nutrition. We received your shipment of supplies!! It was just in time, b/c we had again run out for the 4th time since I have been back from Christmas break! It couldn’t have come at a more perfect time.
This week we received a 16 year-old girl who was diagnosed with typhoid and peritoneal TB in November. She was being cared for at a large public hospital here in PAP. She had an exploratory lap on December 17th and developed fistulas. While in the care of the public hospital she received no nutrition after her surgery. She was ordered TPN but Haiti does not have TPN so they were using banana bags instead. She was transferred to us with an abdomen full of fistulas and broken down skin after receiving no protein for almost 3 months. When she came to us she couldn’t talk, or move. Today, after receiving tube feeds for four days she was able to feed herself a sucker and drink a chocolate shake. She’s talking now, and moving much better. I wouldn’t believe it myself if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes! The first night she came to us we were sure she wouldn’t survive the night.
So, I just wanted to say a huge thank you!!! Your generous donation gave her a chance to heal and be a normal kid again.
Thanks again,
Karen
Thanks to generous donations from RDs across the country, we have donated funds to provide needed nutrition products for the patients at Port au Prince Hospital. It is hard to believe that in this day and age that this could actually be happening.
If you have an interest in providing donations of any kind (product or financial), please let me know. I’ll be delighted to help coordinate donations. I am working through Karen’s church because they have numerous members that are involved in making sure that the nutrition products get to those in need. Please feel free to email me at becky@beckydorner.com or visit http://www.projectmedishare.org/
