Hope exists in Haiti for amputee patients

 

Photo by Omar Vega

 

By Jennifer Browning

Project Medishare’s prosthetic technician in training, Wilfred Messine, works with people like him everyday. An amputee patient himself, when Wilfred was fitted with his prosthetic limb in April, we immediately began running and kicking a soccer ball.

Last week, encouraging others like him, he formed a small soccer team of amputee patients. Wilfred provided an inspiration of hope to those who would soon be fitted at Hospital Bernard Mevs Project Medishare with their new limb. His message: if you can do this without a leg, imagine what your possibilities are with a prosthetic leg!

Wilfred had his leg amputated shortly after the earthquake happened in January. Part of his job is not only to help with the fitting and the physical therapy, but he and Cedieu Fortillus, another prosthetic technician in training, also help these patients understand what the prosthetic means for them.

Together Cedieu and Wilfred work to change attitudes of the patients they see and show the patients the possibilities after receiving their new limb.

“Every time we want to explain something to the patient, we use Wilfred as an example,” Cedieu said. “We show them that he has a prosthetic and then we say, look what he can do!!”

Wilfred said that he loves his work at HBMPM because he is helping Project Medishare change people’s lives.

“What Medishare is doing here is helping people start their life again,” Wilfred said. “I talk to the amputee patients and let them know that one day, they can be like me. I tell them that I can walk, I can drive, and I have learned to run….there are so many things I can do with my new leg and that they will be able to do these things one day. I let them know they can have a new life. That if you are an amputee it doesn’t mean your life is over.”

If you would like to help Project Medishare continue programs like this one at Hospital Bernard Mevs Project Medishare (HBMPM) click here to donate today.

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Six months after the quake: Project Medishare continues mission to empower Haitian medical professionals to improve access to healthcare

Bernard Mevs nurse, Sindy Abdon, goes over a patient chart with Dr. Eric Dehoux, a physician volunteering from Canada. While volunteering over the next two weeks, Dr. Dehoux is working with doctors and nurses in the medical surgical unit to extend their knowledge in treating and caring for those with spinal cord injuries. Those coming to volunteer with Project Medishare are not only here to help treat patients, but also train their Haitian medical colleagues. Photo by Jennifer Browning.

By Jennifer Browning

Six months ago, Project Medishare volunteer doctors and nurses in collaboration with the University of Miami Global Institute, rushed to the aid of those affected by the devastating earthquake in Haiti. Since January, Project Medishare have treated over 30,000 patients and recruited over 5000 medical volunteers

Marianna, 15, begins learning how to walk with her prosthetic leg for the first time. Assisting her is Cedieu Fortilus who is training to become certified prosthetic technician.Photo by Jennifer Browning.

Last month, Project Medishare transitioned out of the tent hospital and into an existing community hospital, Bernard Mevs, in a partnership to continue making healthcare accessible to the Haitian people. Here trauma and rehabilitation care are provided and our permanent and rotating volunteer staff are conducting a medical training and education program in critical care, trauma and rehabilitation for the local medical staff.

In addition to joining forces with the Bernard Mevs staff, Project Medishare has hired 82 local medical professionals making our hospital staff predominantly Haitian.

The local medical staff is receiving training in all areas including prenatal and neonatal care, general surgeries, specialty surgeries, spinal cord injury, physical therapy and prosthetics.

Haitian nurses who have never worked with preemies before are learning the intricacies of prenatal and neonatal care, as Project Medishare runs the only PICU/NICU in all of Haiti. Currently, there are five students studying to become physical therapy technicians, and two others are training with a prosthetic orthotist to learn how to fit prosthetics and become prosthetic technicians.

“In Haiti we have a dream that we will be able to learn,” Marie Carmelle Charles, a physical therapy tech student said. “Now with this training opportunity, that dream is coming true.”

As Project Medishare moves into this next level in providing training important funding is needed to continue expanding these efforts as we work toward improving access to healthcare in Haiti. Please join Project Medishare in this important endeavor, click here to make an online donation today.

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