Haitians Make Long Journey to Prosthetics Center

Haiti - This was a great day, about 40 patients were seen at the Hanger Prosthetics Center. The Center saw patients receiving their prosthesis and those that were being fitted for the first time, with ages ranging from 4 to 70 years.

Two of the patients seen today heard about the Hôpital Albert Schweitzer (HAS) Hanger Prosthetics Center through word of mouth and hitched a ride from Port-au-Prince to HAS. This involved a long, long ride, typically about 3 hours in a car or truck through steep mountains and on much rugged pot-holed roads. At the end of the trip one can be very exhausted with bone jarred spines and kidneys!

As difficult and long as the journey by car and truck can be, one of the patients hitched himself on the back of a motor scooter to get to the center. I wonder how much longer and difficult this ride was? Mmm, I don't even want to think about it.

Despite their long journeys, these patients arrived at HAS with great anticipation and renewed hope. The excitement and joy expressed when they came through the cue and were measured for their new limbs was priceless. Their day was complete as there was no cost for the prosthesis and they were told that temporary accommodations would be made available for them during the waiting period while their prosthetics were being fabricated and physical therapy underway.

My role as the case manager for Project HOPE is evolving and is making a difference in patient care and flow as they are seen at the HAS/Hanger Prosthetics Center.

Thanks for reading-Joy Williams

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