Email update - 8.15.2010
HAITI!!  I AM SO PROUD!   

Hands of Light in Action has been sending down volunteers to Haiti since February!  We are so very proud of what we are accomplishing!

In February, we were just sending physical therapists down to help with the disaster relief but by the end of April, we found ourselves developing, running and servicing our own physical therapy clinic for 200 patients of 1700 displaced Haitian camp-Camp Hope- in Fond Parisean, Haiti.  We did not stop there but also began sending non medical volunteers to help with the rebuilding of homes and warehouse organization plus we have been working with malnourished babies at Love A Child Orphanage.  By Oct 2010, Hands of Light in Action will have sent over 100 AWESOME volunteers to Haiti!  What an incredible, heartwarming and unforgettable experience this has been!

Regardless what the daily news is reporting about failed camps and no progress in Haiti, let me tell you about our little piece of Haiti by mid Oct.

  1. We will have met the goals and gained the independence of 200 patients.  Our 50 amputees have prosthetic devices and will be independent!  The other fractures and crushing injuries are well on their way to independence and able to return to normal level of functioning!  By Oct., only a handful will still need an assistive device such as a cane.  We will have accomplished all the assistance listed below with a final budget of approximately $28,000.
  2. We have worked with malnourished babies at Love A Child Orphanage and have taught the caregivers some techniques for improving normal motor development.
  3. We have gathered and distributed hundreds of items like coloring books, marbles, can openers, small tools, glow sticks, flip flops, balls, toys, boxed food, crystal light packets, developmental toys, and the list goes on.  All volunteers have overly packed their suitcases with items needed for the camp and brought the items down.    
  4. We have helped organize, and unpacked medical supplies, clothes and food in the Love A Child warehouse.
  5. We have treated several Love A Child employees and volunteers as the need has presented itself.
  6. We have assisted with the building of the homes planned for our Camp Hope--Miracle Village.
  7. We have assisted with distribution of needs at the outlaying villages.
  8. We are teaching a few Haitians to be able to treat basic therapy needs and to refer out after we leave. They will be able to charge for basic massage and basic strengthening/range of motion skills.
  9. Harvard Humanitarian has provided primary medical care for Camp Hope and they are teaching Haitian RNs to take over for them with ER care at Love A Child Orphanage.
  10. Love A Child Orphanage has a vision and is working on building homes for all of Camp Hopes residents.  They also are offering educational programs, distributing food weekly, distributing seeds for their garden and are developing a market where many of the residents will own their own shops--such as our camp artists, grocery store, vegetable stand, ect...  Love A Child Orphanage has been our base and their scope of support of Haiti is truly incredible.


Love A Child, Harvard Humanitarian and Hands of Light in Action have all worked together from the beginning of this disaster until completion of the needs of Camp Hope/Miracle Village.  This has truly been an AWESOME experience!  Together we will have taken 1700 displaced Haitians and turned their lives around to where they have a roof over their head, are recovered from their injuries, have a job and the children will be receiving their education.  These people of Camp Hope/Miracle Village have become part of us--we have grown to love these very dear people.  Our little portion of Haiti has been much admired by so many other organizations and yes--we are so proud and we all have left huge portions of our hearts at this Camp Hope/Miracle Village!

Hands of Light in Action requires your help 1 more time with this incredible project.  We are short approximately $5500.00 until we meet goals in Oct plus we really want to leave a gift to the camp of soccer(fut ball), volleyball and basketball uniforms plus a volleyball net and basketball hoops for Love A Child is going to lay a basketball court. If any one of you know some company that would consider donating sports supplies--please let me know!  Sports are important in the USA but in Haiti--every game is the social event of the year!!  The whole village shows up to show their support and people talk about the game throughout the day.  With so many struggles with daily tent living, 1 meal a day, outhouses, loss of limbs, crushing painful injuries and loss of family members, the ability to watch your camp team play another team is huge!  How appropriate is it that physical therapists and other volunteers give this gift that will encourage exercise, coordination, camaraderie, friendship, laughter and joy?  We need your help with the last few months of HOLIA assistance but also with our gift to Camp Hope!

Donations are 100 percent tax deductible for Hands of Light in Action is a 501(c)3 non profit organization.  Donations can be sent to Hands of Light in Action, PO Box 87513, Canton, MI  48187, go to HandsofLightinAction.org  and Click on the PayPal Button  or Visit us on Facebook at Hands of Light in Action and donate there.   Remember 100 percent of the donations go to helping Camp Hope/Miracle Village.

We are changing our small part of the World in Haiti!  Enjoy this U tube video of Camp Hope and HOLIA created by one of our volunteers, Diana and please consider becoming a part of our miracle!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZraXTlSZlQ&feature=player_embedded#at=24



Miracles Do Happen!

Nancy Malone, PT

President/Founder
Hands of Light in Action
734-788-9230
MaloneNancy@msn.com

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." - Howard Thurman

 

Date: Sat, 6 Feb 2010 16:32:22 +0000
Subject: Haiti Update 2/6/2010

Feb 6, 2010

    We are working at Forde Parisian at Love A Child in Haiti. All in tents donated by Taiwan, we have a tent hospital, surgery in 2 tents, intensive care, and approx 50 other tents of patients living together in groups of 3-6 per tent on thin mats on floor and a few cots. Ninety percent are ortho cases and all need PT. We have 40 external fixation fracture, 20 amputations, pelvic fractures, infected wounds and the list goes on. It's challenging getting people off the floor to stand with 1 arm casted and external fixators on 1 or 2 legs plus the fact that they haven't gotten up since the quake. My 2 other PTs-Kerstin and Tiffany plus Victor and Ashley are the only people assisting with physical therapy at this time.We are part of a multidisiplanary team here. We made rounds today to make sure that we saw all that needed PT and Dr after Dr said----We need you for ALL of them.

 The doctors and staff are delighted we are here for most had not gotten up since the earthquake. PTs are in high demand and will be for the months to come. When we first arrived, all patients were sweltering in their tents and not a lot of smiles. We all noticed that once we started showing the patients and the family members that they really could move their arms and legs plus walk or hop, the whole camp/ hospital was happier. When we worked today, we noticed several people out of the tents and sitting in folding chairs in the shade. They have huge smiles and the laughter is coming back. The staff has noticed the change and for us, it's been no surprise but it's still awesome non the less. Everyday will be a better day as we move patients from total care to independence. Victor has been busy cutting down adult cruches and drilling holes for all the children. Tiffany is a peds therapist so we send all the kids to her. Victor has been a huge help in lifting and walking the bigger amputations. Ashley just will do anything required and she works tirelessly. Kerstin is a no nonsense, organized and efficient woman. Anyone we can't get to move, we just send to Kerstin. Kerstin also brought everything we could possibly need and set up our tree outside our tent with gloves, hand sanitized and more with bungi cords.

 We are so dusty at the end of the day that we are look like we have walked through a dust storm. As a group, these people will always be in my heart for each one has just been terrific.We have people discharged when stable to the refugee camp and new ones helicoptered in, or on buses, from trucks and cars daily. Tonight we had 3 ministers bring in a man that was hit by a car and left at the side of the road.There is just so much to tell--incredible moments, heart wrenching moments, and so much more but I have to write this iPhone and I'm tired so I apologize for spelling errors.

 It takes us all day and more to see all the patients plus I have had a lot of meetings. There are about 5 countries here and man -- they are ALL just awesome. We all manage to communicate with each other.

 I am now involved in planning of training some Haitians to handle the patients when there are lapses of no PTs (Physical Therapists) here, helping with planning of the rehab centers that will be built at Love A Child and at IMA. Working with ITT to track amputations and the needs. The amputation numbers will be unpresidented due to the numerous crushing injuries.

We are aware of the political situation and the growing Haitian discord with the US government but that's another story

. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else--Haiti is gorgeous with the mountains, bright stars, even saw mercury tonight, great big lake.  We are treating in primitive conditions, but we all are very respectful of patients rights, and feelings. The docs are very thorough and really engage the patient.

 All are providing the absolutely best quality care that we can and the patient is number 1 every sec of everyday.We keep an eye out for children snatchers for that had been a problem. All the unaccompanied minors have been moved to the front tents because of child trafficking and snatching.I'm just thankful that I have seen NO spiders. Everything else is just a piece of cake:)

I'll leave you with this--I saw a 71 year old woman with a fractured femur with and external fixator and a fractured humerous casted. 
She is just such a fighter. 
She did everything we asked for she hadn't even sat up until today. Her fixators is way too big reaching past her knee. We slowly brought her into a sitting position then fireman carried her to the chair. 
She started screaming a bunch of words like a song but sounded angry. 
I asked the interpretor what was wrong and he said she was just shouting/singing praises to Jesus that she was getting up. 
Got her in the chair and then we danced to her song and the child lying next to her in a spica cast laughed. 
Awesome is all I can say and just how lucky am I.... 

Nancy Malone - Hands of Light in Action President/Founder 
PS. I will no longer be emailing everyone with blogs for it's just too difficult and time consuming. If you would like to follow our adventure, 

PLEASE DONATE HERE!
Nancy and Patient