Haiti Mission Reports
To: Massachusetts Nurses Association From: Ketline Edouard, RN, BMC
Date: January 15, 2011
Re: St. Raphael, Haiti October 21st through October 26th, 2010
Dear Friends,
This is our success story of the mission we recently completed in St. Raphael, Haiti.
Between October 21st 2010 and October 26th 2010, a team of about 25 medical and non-medical volunteers put their skills together to run a mobile clinic and provide basic medical care evaluation and treatment for about 400 individuals in the village of St. Raphael and its surrounding communities. With the support of family and friends and the Massachusetts Nurses Association, we were able to travel to Haiti for a week to see about 400 people at the mobile clinic. More than half of those seen were treated for hypertension, few for diabetes (with 30 days worth of medication administered) and many others for general malaise such as infections, pneumonia, bronchitis, cough, pain, fever, ulcer, and worms. Also men, women, and children were able to receive multivitamins and calcium for daily use and a few sessions of hands washing teaching were given to tend to the outbreak of Cholera that started upon our arrival.
With the crisis in Haiti, this mission was special in many ways. Not only was this our first trip in St. Raphael, but it was also, for some of us, the first time we witnessed an entire nation living in a state of despair. This trip was an opportunity for us to be able to go and offer our assistance to those in need.
This mission marked the beginning of a partnership between Dedicated Hands for Health and St. Raphael and its surrounding communities. It was through this group and through the overwhelming amount of help and support we received that we were able to reach out to patients across 3 different communities, St. Raphael included. With such a great beginning we’re hoping to continue to work with MNA and our supporters in order to reach out to more people in need across these communities.
A mission cannot be successful without a great team and we were very fortunate to have such an unbelievable team of volunteers on this mission. Our team had reflected a perfect combination of energy, expertise and experience. It was the tireless efforts of the team that set an excellent example of care and compassion. Of course, our mission would not have been possible without the efforts of all our supporters especially the MNA. On behalf of Dedicated Hands for Health, we thank you all for your constant support and guidance.
MNA member participants: Ketline Edouard, RN; Sheila Greally, RN; Guina Jean, RN; and Virginia Coen, RN (all of Boston Medical Center); and Judith Laguerre, MNA RN from Cambridge HealthAlliance. The date for their next trip in Haiti is October 19th, 2011.
Vew Powerpoint Presentation here
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