Haiti - One month later - Links and stories

I have a lot of links and emails to post so this will be a long one.
Links first:
Message from Fr Rick:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaMRuSAa9rE

NPFS Day Camp Feb 2nd and 4th
http://picasaweb.google.com/MonicaGery/NPFSDayCampFeb2ndAnd4th?feat=directlink

Haiti Tent Cities Feb 3rd and Feb 6th
http://picasaweb.google.com/MonicaGery/HaitiTentCitiesFeb3rdAndFeb6th?feat=directlink

Letter from Gena - sorry I can't post the photos but I can forward the full letter if anyone would like it.

Kay St. Germaine Rehab Center
February 11, 2010

I woke up to the sound of rain this morning and I said "oh no," as straight away I thought of those in the camps. The sky did not even look as if it was dumping more misery onto a people already in desperation. In fact the sky looked calm and sleepy and the thin clouds were like a light sheet pulled back from a sleeping bed. I rang my staff in Kenscoff (the mountains where the orphanage is and where I usually live) and they were shocked because they woke up to clear skies.

A little while ago I got a phone call from Guerlande, mother of Bedgina, two months old and an amputee. I asked how they were. Yesterday they received a tent from someone that wants to help them. “We are in the mud. Everything is wet and we can’t even put up the tent because everything is wet and muddy.”

I rang Fritzner. He is the uncle of Stevenson. “What can I say Dr. Gena. We are here, everything is wet, everywhere is muddy. The little tent you gave us for Stevenson is good so he was ok. He is gone back to the hospital today for his appointment so you will see him.”

It is quiet where I am sitting and the hazy sun has evaporated all signs of the morning downpour outside my door. My mood is pensive and I wonder what is next for the people of Haiti. Over one month now and still no signs of real solutions for those displaced. Is it normal that after one month people are still crowded together in makeshift tents (made from sheets). Is this what always happens in countries where bad earthquakes occur? Was I being unrealistic when I expected that by now most families would have a real tent and people would be located in areas where there is flat land and where it would seem that it would have been possible to set up proper services? I wonder am I crazy for thinking this could have happened by now. I mean four weeks have gone by already! I try to be optimistic but those of us living here know all too well that the rainy season in Haiti is never much fun and I DREAD what will happen if people are not properly set up before the rains come.

Our work goes on and in a small way we make a difference. Mothers and fathers in the hospital share their stories with us and now we are family to them. Johanne had a surgery yesterday. They removed the bone that had crushed into her brain. An Italian doctor did the surgery and we are all so thankful. You should have seen her family - mother and grandmother! The first day, Johanne was taken by helicopter for a cat scan. Her mother and grandmother, watched every helicopter that flew by for the next hours, waiting for Johanne to come back. When she came, you would think that it was God himself, come down from heaven, such was their relief to see Johanne. Yesterday was the surgery and again the waiting, and the waiting. The surgery went well and Johanne was stable last night and this morning. How beautiful to witness the love that surrounds her. You can see her in the below photo and Norma is working with her to get her to swallow food in her mouth again.


In the same room as Johanne is Angelin. Angelin was buried in the rubble for five days (she is five years old) and now she had lost half her leg. In the beginning she was so sad - never could get a smile from her. Sad eyes, telling stories no five year old should ever have to tell. Her mother stays with her - a young mother that lost her other child in the quake. These days Angelin is much better and much more responsive. Her smile is brave and hopeful and she smiles more frequently now. But sometimes when she is sitting by herself, you can just see how much she has gone through - from the way she sits and stares and her mind is miles away.

This is Veronica. Her mother died and she is being looked after by her loving dad. She is full of the joys of life and always has us smiling! She is two!

How about these beautiful young ladies? They are both so proud of their efforts on the crutches! Marie Marthe is to the right as you look at the picture and Marie Francis is next to her

Lest you think tis only girls in our hospital, how about these darling boys: First is Peterson and his mom. Then we have John Joseph and then Mykenly.

I know it is not easy for you to see these kids in this way. For us too it is not easy and for sure for the families it is not easy. However this is the reality we face and I am happy to tell you that we will be involved in their lives from now on. I say we, but really it is you too because it is your money we are and will be spending. And these are just a few – there are many more and if I have the time, I will bring them into your lives. I tell these mothers and fathers that they are not alone because people care and they are so thankful. My team and I are thankful to all of you.

I started this letter this am and now it is already dark. To my eyes the sky is ominous as if she also needs to cry for all that she sees every day. I spent most of my day on the computer – pulling together many people in an attempt to get Yolene (Director of our special needs school) out of the country to go see her husband who is near death in Michigan. He was evacuated out of here days after he was crushed in the quake. Thanks to our friends in Digicell she is scheduled to go to Jamaica tomorrow and they will help us get her a visa to be with him. Meanwhile as I write, a dedicated friend has been traveling for hours (from the south of Haiti) to get here tonight so she can go with Yolene tomorrow. This morning all of this seemed like an impossible task but I am a person of hope and the day I give up hope is the day I go into the grave! So fingers crossed it all works out and she can make it to see him before he dies. It is a tough journey for Yolene who is only married since last July. Life sure is not easy is it?

Best wishes to all of you reading this and many many thanks for all the help and support. I need you to keep Haiti right beside you all the time – like your loved ones. We are all afraid that people will loose interest after a while and for sure you must be getting tired of hearing about Haiti all the time. Understand that for now, we are not able to do big things – we need to be sure that when we start rebuilding for people, we will be doing it in a way that will be safe for everyone. So for now we give money, clothing and food and we take down all the details so we can find the best way to help each case. The discharged families from the hospital are coming to us for therapy. This week we hired a new therapist for the amputees. She has some basic training and she is very happy to have a job. We will be hiring more therapists in the coming weeks and also a music teacher will start with us on Monday. We need to get the kids singing and laughing!

Love to all. Keep the faith!
Gena Heragty, Director of Special Needs Programs

Letter from Fr Rick
February 12, 2010

Thirty Days Later

It is tradition of the Catholic faith to celebrate mass in the remembrance of the dead after one month has passed. Today throughout Haiti, at 7 am, in what is left standing of the parishes of Port au Prince, this mass will be celebrated for the estimated 200,000 dead. In addition, President Preval has declared today to be a day of national fast, and the beginning of three days of national mourning. We are participating in this act of solidarity by offering mass at 7 am at Titayin, together with Bishop Dumas, at the burial place of the indigent dead. We ourselves have buried about 2,500 people there in the last 30 days.

After weeks of frenetic activity, we are returning to a state of equilibrium. Our hospital had become a trauma MASH unit, as had all other medical centers in Port au Prince that are still standing. We were able to offer about 30 surgeries a day at four sites (two in our hospital, one on our hospital grounds in a tent, and one at the St. Camillus Hospital, which we staffed for the emergency.) Many of these, sadly, were amputations – sometimes two for the same adult or child.

To give an idea of the size of the problem, it is likely there are about 20,000 people now who have been amputated or who have orthopedic hardware screwed through their skin to the bone. Port au Prince estimates about 20 Haitian orthopedic surgeons, and visiting teams to Haiti will soon leave. All 20,000 need to be followed closely for removal of hardware, control of infection, reevaluation of the amputation, and of course for artificial limbs and rehabilitation. We have worked closely with the St. Camillus Hospital so as to return our St. Damien Hospital to a pediatric center and to have a growing center for adults at St. Camillus.

In collaboration with the Papal Nuncio, the president of the Haitian bishops conference, the local CARITAS office and the Italian Protezione Civile, we are setting up seven positions in the provinces, (especially since about 30% of the population has abandoned the capital) to be able to allow access of these people to a medical system. We can do our best to follow a certain number from these sites, return them to Port au Prince for needed attention by helicopter or land, and use the points as well for large distributions of food and educational materials for schools. We hope to continue to partner with St. Camillus and the Haitian bishops to strengthen a similar response in Port au Prince.

At Francisville, we are making a center for production of artificial limbs. Gena Hergaty hosted a meeting two days ago of 30 non-governmental organizations at our St. Germaine program, to determine the best collaboration for all those eager to invest in rehabilitation and physical therapy.

On the home front, Erin Kloos has made an exception recovery after being dug out of our crumbled Fr. Wasson Center. The funeral of her brother Ryan will be later this month in Phoenix. Fr. Craig Hightower celebrated the funeral of Molly Hightower, concelebrated by Fr. Phil Cleary. I hope I can arrange to leave Haiti for a few weeks to see my father, and to visit both families for mass in their homes.

We offered mass last Saturday for Molly and Ryan on top of the rubble of the Fr. Wasson Center on an altar made of fallen block, using chant and incense to honor Molly and Ryan and all who died in the earthquake, and to show our faith and hope, and determination to rebuild and continue our life giving mission.

The Fr. Wasson Center is being cleared by heavy government equipment, and we will rebuild a central administration center on the site, with metal instead of cement framework, which are fast becoming popular here. We will also make an artistic monument to stand prominently on the corner, by a famous Haitian artist, dedicating the new center to Ryan and Molly and honoring all the victims of the earthquake.

In Tabarre our three areas of destruction were the perimeter walls, the tower, and the chapel. The Italian Protezzione Civile is clearing the debris, reinforcing the tower, rebuilding the chapel and rebuilding the walls. Additional internal, non-structural damage to the hospital is being repaired by the Italian companies that made the initial installations (especially the central oxygen supply). The new maternity and neonatal program, born of necessity during the traumatic days following the quake, is following a good and logical course, and the rest of the hospital is returning to normal.

The surgical capacity will still be challenged as we tend to many postoperative children and new traumas. The cancer center got quite a boost, thanks to Sister Judy, as it is now a partner with the Danny Thomas Children’s Cancer Hospital in the USA. This will bring quite a help for development, diagnostic, training, material and medicines.

The St. Helene orphanage in Kenscoff was largely spared, but we were glad to see so much charitable activity on the part of the children, coming to the hospital to visit injured children and distributing food and supplies in the tent cities.

The Family Services team has been very attentive to vulnerable children in the tent cities and has elaborated a good plan for continued involvement. Future reports will be given on all these points I mention in this summary by the people involved.

We are still gathering the names of those who have died or disappeared in the rubble. We hope soon that Daniela, our temporary home correspondent, will be able to make a memorial page on the NPH website. We are very much struck with sorrow by the deaths of our colleagues or deaths in their families.

The St. Luke program has been valiant and tireless, and we suffered the loss of some staff and directors. We also suffered the loss of one third of our 18 street schools. We will resume school in tents, as soon as we have enough, and thanks to Artists for Peace and Justice, we are studying all aspects of rebuilding.

Everywhere around us there are huge problems. There are wounded, homeless and hungry among our 800 employees (all programs combined, including St. Luke). This is made more dreadful by the advance of the rainy season. We had our first rain yesterday.

In a separate letter over the next few days, I will outline the investment we hope to make in addressing these three social problems and the rebuilding and advance of our own programs.

For today, please join us in mourning. Join us in prayers for the dead, for the living, for the future.

Thank you and God bless you.

Fr. Rick Frechette

Letter from Gena - Mother's and Children's stories

I have been holding off on putting up this letter as I wanted it to go up on a day when there was no update so it wouldn't be overshadowed. If anyone would like to assist these and other women like them I can make sure that your donations are assigned for that purpose, just email me. Gena says she will be following these women and assisting them where she can.

Kay Ste. Germaine,
Sat.30 jan.2010
Finally some quiet – finally some moments to stop and think about all that has happened since Jan.12 2010. I am tired – physically tired and my spirit is tired. I am in our rehab centre – just beside the hospital. Today I am trying to stay away from the hospital – trying to put some distance from me and the sad realities living over there. My body is here on the couch and yet my mind is there with the children. I see Johanne lying on her bed-seven years of age and she is in a coma. The wall that fell on her head pushed a bone in her skull into her brain and to most people she is dead. The doctor asked me to tell the grand-mother-Meritanne- that they cannot do anything for her and that there is no hope for Johanne to recover. I told him that I would tell the grand-mother that it was unlikely Johanne would recover BUT I would not say that there is no hope. Where there is life there is hope and how could I take that little hope from this loving mother? How could I? Meritanne has been with her grand-daughter day and night and she knows that she is very sick. She is not expecting a full recovery BUT she sees her alive when many are dead. She has hope that she might recover – even a little bit. Hope is not the same as expectation. Who has the right to take away Meritanne’s hope? No one has that right. I understand this doctor – he is a kind man that came to help. He does not want to give the family false hope. I told him he does not have to worry about this BUT we will not take her hope. She is a smart woman and she is realistic. She is a Haitian mother and the Haitian people are a people of hope. Good for her. I share in her hope.

And what of Johanne- one eye open and the other closed shut and who knows what is going on in her mind. When you talk to her and kiss her soft skin, I liked to believe she is aware of it and that the blinking of the eyelid is her way of saying that she is indeed listening. Meritanne takes comfort from the fact that the “white doctors” – Norma and I (neither of us doctors!) are giving her child so much attention and that we BELIEVE that Johanne is still very much with us. I told everyone in the ward that we have to put a lot of attention on Johanne- that Johanne has to know how much we want her to come out of this coma. Other mothers give encouragement and everyone says the same thing – thousands died, Johanne is alive. There is a reason! Johanne is one of seven kids. The others are ok – the house destroyed and they are all living in a nearby park. They lost all they owned. The grand-mother wonders what will happen if Johanne is discharged. I wonder the same but for now she will not be going anywhere as she is too unwell. Probably you dear Johanne will not be discharged as for sure your family cannot take care of you in the rubble or under the four sheets that is now your home. Dear dear Johanne, in a moment your life is changed forever and there is no point in even beginning to wonder why. I hope, I so dearly hope that we can help you and your family. I hope. I hope. I hope for so much!

From where I sit, my mind takes me to the bed of Meleanda – five years of age and immobile in her bed. She was trapped in her house – stuck under a door and debris. Her family pulled her out and she was rushed to hospital and put on Oxygen. She was 10 days on Oxygen and now she lies on her bed – ubable to move, unable to talk, unable to eat- very like Johanne but Meleanda is not in a coma. She is aware when the nurse comes to give her medicine and her little body tenses in fear. Her Mam, Clarice tells me that Meleanda responds with her eyes when she talks to her. Meleanda tries to move but cannot. The father is a school teacher – he used to work in two different schools – one in the am and one in the pm. Both schools destroyed.
Lots of people are always hungry in Haiti. Before the earthquake many people were lucky if they ate once a day. Now can you imagine the scene – no house, no clothing, no money, no food- for thousands and thousands of people. Mothers in our hospital have no money to feed themselves while they are with the sick children. They worry about their other children that are sleeping in the parks and streets. Can you imagine the stress of these people? Can you imagine the pain? Can you imagine the sadness? World- wide people are trying to help and this is so good. Say a prayer for Johanne and for Meleanda. They are only two and there are many more like them. But I have put them in your head and if you keep them there I believe it will be good for them.

Maybe ye have room for another little kid. His name is Stevenson and he is a bright and sparky three yr old. He had one leg amputated(below the knee) and yet he is still able to smile and play with his little car in his hospital bed. To see him smiling there, you would never imagine all that he has been through. His grandmother is not smiling. She sits there with a sad and tired face. When I talk with her I realize that she is worried about what and will happen when she has to leave the hospital. She has seven kids, two grandchildren and she is the one supporting all of them as she has no husband to help. Oh this woman! How can I describe the sadness, the quiet sadness that did not find the words to come out. When we spoke I felt I wanted to take her in my arms and tell her that she was not alone. “What will I do when I take him home? I have no home- we are sleeping on the street and it will not be good for him because at night it gets cold and he is already fragile. What will I do? I have no idea.”

I told her, I was going to tell her story and maybe I could help. She looked at me and in a very quiet way she said “ if you were able to do this for me, this would be so so good and I would give thanks to God. Maybe God brought you to be because you are the first person that has asked me about my home and maybe you will be able to help me. I will be so so thankful if you can help me because I do not know what I am going to do”.

This beautiful woman that could be my sister, or my cousin or my mother! Her name is Ghislaine.

I spoke to some of the foreigners that are staying in our grounds and I asked them if they can give me their tents when they leave next week. They said yes so that means I have some tents for some of the patients that will soon be leaving. For now I will be able to give Ghislaine a tent for her little boy and I will give her some money to help her out. I cannot give her life back but we will help her as we can. We have over twenty children with amputations in our hospital and probably as many adults. The statistics say that so far there are at least 2000 amputees since the earthquake. We have a lot of work to do! We do what we can and we are grateful for the thousands of people helping us do what we can do.

Gena Heraty

Update Monday 02 February

St. Damien
We estimate there are 210 child patients and 30 adult patients as of today, Monday, February 1st. Four more adult post-op patients arrived from the USS Comfort and 14 are expected to arrive tomorrow. Three OR's continue to operate, one US team, one Italian team and the third is located in the Italian military unit on our property. Roughly 20 surgeries are being performed daily, mainly plastic surgery and for general surgery purposes.

The four mobile medical clinics continue to operate with each attending to 70-140 patients each.

Most of the hospital rooms are now for post-op children with amputations and their care includes wound dressing and administering antibiotics.
A new obstetrics room has been created and the neonatal maternity room currently has 17 mothers and children.

Kay St. Germaine
Today is the first day that the school and physical therapy programs were open at Kay St. Germaine. There were 18 students and 10 patients for therapy. Previous to the earthquake the school had 70 students and 20 therapy patients daily. The staff is still unsure regarding the whereabouts and status of previous students.

The 30 children from the general hospital are still living at Kay St. Germaine, but Partners In Health are providing staff and some supplies for their care, while they are searching for a permanent rental facility. About 10 of these children are integrated into the classrooms, which started today. All 30 children have been receiving physical therapy. There is no exact date as of yet to when these children will be moved to a PIH location. Nine special needs abandoned children, originally from the hospital, moved from their damaged rental house to Kay St. Germaine as well. It is a very full house!

The new goal for Kay St. Germaine is to offer physical therapy for amputees. In fact, today the first child amputee referral from St. Damien hospital arrived for therapy. Patients who are discharged from St. Damien who need PT are then referred to Kay St. Germaine.

Gena has meet with other NGO’s to discuss the future prosthetic needs for children and adults. Currently, the idea is to link with prosthetic organizations already here in the country, and once patients receive their prosthetic, they can then receive physical therapy at Kay St. Germaine. There are two American organizations that stated within a week they can make prosthetics.

Gena is searching for a rental property in Petionville to continue the Kay Elaine programs that were located in the former Fr. Wasson Center. The embroidery card program is continuing at Kay St. Germaine. Prior to earthquake there were 100 children enrolled in the Kay Elaine school and therapy.

Photo: Gena speaks with a father and daughter, the first amputee referral from the St. Damien Hospital.

Gena Heraty Fundraiser

Just got notice of the following fundraiser for the Gena Heraty Fund next Friday the 5th of February.

Featuring the Dame Lane Footstompers plus Special Guests at the Portobello Hotel, South Richmond Street from 8:30 until late! With special guests, raffles and spot prizes. Entrance 5 euro.

For further details contact Declan at 0879726528

Six One News Friday 21 January

The Six One News tomorrow Friday 21 January will have a special feature on Haiti with commentry in the studio and from Haiti. I think their coverage has been very balanced compared to some of the dedicated news networks so it might be a good one to watch.

Google Maps have released a series of highly detailed images of Haiti before and after the earthquake. See the series here.

The Mayo News website whole front page is devoted to Gena. See it here.

I didn't post the NPFS update from the 19th or 20th as they are now being posted very quickly to the NPFS website. If you look at the update for the 21st there is an amazing account from Peter Tinnemann on the progress being made in the hospital and the trading of aid between the various agencies.

Dont forget the Garda Club on Saturday night!

Six One News - RTE1

Gena featured on the Six One news tonight on RTE 1. It will be available on the RTE Player for the next 7 days. The link is here. You need to go to about 8:04 minutes into the report to get to the Haiti report. The same report was also on the Nine O'Clock news.

Gena sent an open letter yesterday which I am going to publish here as she has such a lovely way of expressing herself and it gives a real sense of who she is as a person and also the reality of what she is going through over there. I really hope that the volunteers and staff are getting some emotional support and help too.

"One week later and still the wounded are not treated. One week later and so many dead, injured or just disappeared. Amazing how fast the world we live in can change. Kids in the orphanage still sleeping outdoors - except for my kids- they are inside since last week. All are fine and not in any way suffering from the tragedy.

I am in the hospital in Tabarre every day - helping where i can. The husband of the directrice of our special needs school is paralised from the chest down and in danger of dying if he does not get to the states so we are all working on that and hopefully he will get out tomorrow.

Lots of people helping out and everyone doiong what they can. So many people left without arms or legs and my God they are so so strong. Lying in their beds, not complaining at all and they have lost so much. One girl lost a leg when she was rescuing her younger siblings.

I dunno what to say - so many emotions and really no time to deal with them. At night when I lie down, the bed seems to be forever shaking, when I go to the loo it seems to shake and really when i talk to people they say it is the same for them.

My heart aches for Haiti and the Haitian people. My heart aches for those I have loved and lost. Some people blame God or wonder if he is even here. I do not blame God nor do I doubt his existence. My mind is logical. this was a natural disaster and it wreaked so much havoc because haiti was in a mess long before the earthquake.People in tents all over the place- makeshift ones. Are they getting help? I worry for osme cos who will find them where they are, off the beaten path?

How am I? I am ok. I am alive and happy to be alive. i am happy for all the support I know I receive, from people I know and people I do not know. I am sad- as is everyone here. We have lost a lot but we have a lot to work for still. There is no time to grieve just now. Well maybe there is but we choose not to take it cos the wounded need us to be strong if they are to survive.. So we are ok and we are people of faith and we believe we can make things just a little better. For now this is all I can bring out of my mind.Love to all.Gena"