When News Of The Earthquake Hit
Everyone watching the news about the earthquake in Haiti shares a bond the ache of horror at the immensity of the loss. And my connection to the story was both strong and personal. I had just returned literally days before from Northern Haiti where I have been working at the Hopital Sacre Coeur. It is the largest private hospital in the North of Haiti located in the town of Milot. My work there is about supporting an initiative that is close to my heart Haitian-born and trained medical personnel including doctors and now a surgeon providing care for the members of their community.
When I heard what was happening after the earthquake, I wanted to go back. I was relieved to learn early on that the hospital was functioning. And over the next two weeks, I began to get word of how it had responded to the incredible need expanding from a 73-bed hospital serving the community to serve over 400 patients in tents, hastily converted spaces and a just-acquired school across the street from the hospital. While continuing to meet the needs of the surrounding community, Hopital Sacre Coeur also opened its collective doors to the earthquake victims who were streaming in. Some walked for many days, others were flown in.
And just as Hopital Sacre Coeur opened its doors to take in the earthquake victims, members of the medical communities in the United States opened their hearts, changed their schedules and went to Hopital Sacre Coeur to help. Instead of the usual team of 20 medical volunteers, the group that went shortly after the earthquake numbered 100.
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