We are pleased to report that with the help of many hands and hearts at home in the Midwest, our medical service trip to Haiti was a success.  We were able to deliver almost 250 lbs of much needed supplies and about 120 hours of medical attention to some of the most sick and destitute amongst those affected by the horrible earthquake of January 2010. The medical supplies included thousands of dollars worth of potentially life-saving medications and other equipment such as an oxygen regulator and pulse oximeters. The two of us who made the journey (Ravi Hirekatur and Surya Pierce) were able to provide six full days of medical care to a ward of about 60 tuberculosis patients, about 1/3 of which also have HIV. We are writing to pass along some of the deep gratitude we experienced from our Haitian patients, colleagues and friends to the many of you who made this trip successful!

Our supplies and service was offered through the HUEH (l’Hopital de L’Universite D’Haiti aka General Hospital) which is the capital city’s largest medical institution and provides free and low-cost care to Haitian citizens. This is also one of the largest academic medical centers in Haiti, receiving specialty referrals from around the country. By supporting and partnering the local health infrastructure we feel that the resources we provided were less of a “handout” and more of a “hand-up.”

While excruciatingly poor materially, the patients we cared for showed an abundance of warmth and gratitude that is unforgettable. Mostly the poorest of the poor, their spirits shone through the most dire physical conditions: living in overcrowded tents in weather in excess of 100°F, receiving only one meal or less per day, with incurable diseases, several of them physically wasting away to skin and bones. But despite these conditions, the patients consistently looked after one another, minimized their own complaints and symptoms, making the best of what little they had. When making our daily rounds, the most common self-report about ones wellbeing was “not too bad.” Although individuals would occasionally become distressed, we never witnessed any personal conflicts between patients, and to the contrary the whole community would often rally around the individual upset. In these and other ways, we learned a lot from those we were trying to help.

As you probably know, the earthquake exacerbated a longstanding problem of basic lack of resources that has plagued the good people of Haiti for far too long. We can assure you that the need for support is still great, and those who stand benefit are amongst the most grateful and deserving one could imagine. Like many of you, we are still asking how we might best continue to serve the good people of Haiti. We will do our best to let you know of how you might help in the future.