Members Blog their Haiti Relief Experiences

Navy Anesthesiologists Respond to Haitian Earthquake

On Wednesday, January 13, 2010 the hospital ship, USNS Comfort was tasked with providing disaster relief and medical support to Haiti after a 7.5 magnitude earthquake devastated much of the island’s population center.

 

K. Gage Parr, M.D.

Like most people, I was saddened when I heard the news and saw the pictures of the devastation in Haiti following the January earthquake. However, it was a remote tragedy in a country that I had never visited and had no direct contact with, so I sent some money to the American Red Cross and went along with my life. Then a vascular/general surgeon in my hospital, Moji Gashti, who travels to Haiti yearly, put out a call for anesthesia providers to travel with him to Hospital Sacre Coeur in Milot, Haiti. I decided this was my chance to provide more than money to people in need and signed up to go to Haiti from Jan 23rd to Jan 29th.

 

Yemishi Odugbesan, M.P.A., M.D.

There are very few words to describe the devastation, but I’m already encouraged by the lives that have been stayed and how those who were spared are volunteering to help their fellow man.

 

Team from the University of Pennsylvania

The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care is preparing to deploy 2 members of the department, to join the 9-member Penn Team leaving for Haiti next week. The team consists (currently) of 2 anesthesiologists, 2 orthopedic surgeons, 1 trauma surgeon, 2 OR and 2 ICU nurses. This is being coordinated through Partners in Health.

 

Liz Drum, M.D.

Part 1, Part 2

I am an ASA member, and I am on my way to Haiti. I am an anesthesiologist with special training in pediatric anesthesiology. I am working several places on a part-time basis right now, which allows me to have time to go on some adventures!

 

Jean Nusbaum, M.D.

I spent a week in Haiti traveling with a group, mostly from Minnesota, organized by No Time for Poverty. We worked at a pediatric hospital in Port-au-Prince called St. Damien’s. We were very very busy.