 Berlinda Dumas receiving care by Dr. Steeve on January 13th |
March 25, 2010
We started the day with some of the Hope for Haiti public health team and the Carrefour clinic staff running a mobile clinic at Camp Villa located next to the Villa Creole Hotel. The camp has a little less than 200 people living on a tennis court. We have been working with the Villa Creole to provide tents, food, water, sanitation, and now medical care. The team treated 96 people before the day was done and will plan for a follow-up visit in two weeks. During the clinic, the team also took the time to give out vitamin packs and vitamin A.
 Berlinda Dumas with her baby sister on March 24th |
The highlight of the day came when Dr. Steeve brought a cute little girl to my attention. I had spoken to her earlier while she was getting her vitals taken with her baby sister and at the time she was just a rather healthy looking little girl of 7, tougher than she should have to be, but still with a bit of innocence. Dr. Steeve, fighting back emotion, informed me that she was one of the severely injured cases that we found upon arrival to the Villa Creole after the earthquake. She had been in her house when it collapsed around her leaving her terrified with severe head trauma that nearly took her life. We found this little one writhing in pain and shock from the terrible surprise Mother Nature had bestowed and after stabilizing her Dr. Steeve went to work trying to care for the deep lacerations to her head.
Today she is still alive and living in the IDP camp behind the Villa Creole along with almost 200 others. In the dark that night with head lamps Dr. Steeve and I set out with one thought, save as many as you can, in a sea of so many faces that now feel too hard to remember fate has given us a chance reminder and Berlinda Dumas and her mother were given a chance to say “Mesi.”
Mike Stewart, Country Director
