APR-B-5
BY NO COINCIDENCE, I MAY BE VISITING HAITI AT THE SITE WHERE PAUL FARMER HAS BEEN WORKING,
AND
WILL WORK THIS INTO THE JUNE SCHEDULE
WHERE THE CHINA TRIP HAD BEEN
From: Glenn Geelhoed
To: "bryanjschaaf@yahoo.com".GWIA01.getthere
Date: 4/10/03 9:03AM
Subject: Re: Information concerning Haiti and Project Medishare
Thank you! I think it has bee one of the few recorded benefits of the SARS outbreak that I may be diverted from China to Haiti in that time period!
Yes, I know Paul Farmer well, and we have been trying to get him to come to GWU as a lecturer/consultant, so it would be a pleasure to meet with him down there, since he had told me he would be there during this period.
It might be a better idea to participate in the clinic‑building work, rather than a brief visit in hit‑and‑run operating at the hospital for this initial visit. But, I would like to reconnoiter and make future plans to help in this regard, and will talk further about that on the visit.
I will start shuffling my schedule to make plans to visit and hope to see you there!
I will cull out the journals and a few texts and still fewer of the supplies that I have overstocked for my Malawi mission coming up in the next week, and will parcel them out among the students who will be going after I speak with Danielle Foster.
Thanks!
GWG
>>> Bryan Schaaf <bryanjschaaf@yahoo.com> 04/09/03 09:49PM >>>
Dr. Geelhoed,
Hello! I am happy to be writing you about Haiti and Project Medishare.
I was a peace corps volunteer in Thomonde, Haiti. Thomonde is a province of about 40,000 people. Isolated and neglected for a variety of reasons, chief of which is a very bad road. When I first arrived there, the 40,000 Thomondoise had not one doctor or nurse.
I met some members of Project Medishare and we began discussing how we could help the community create a viable health infrastructure. In collaboration with a hospital, a missionary organization, and Project Medishare we assembled a team of health agents using DOT to treat TB in the province of Thomonde. Later, some of these same agents began treating AIDS patients under the same model with anti‑retorovirals provided by the Cange Hospital.
Maybe you have heard of the Cange hospital? This is where Paul Farmer works, an international expert on AIDS/TB and one wonderful human being. Paul has been essential in so many ways.
We rennovated a clinic that was about ready to fall over. To do this we held a major fundraiser in Miami with Maya Angelou. Paul was able to find a doctor and some nurses to staff the clinic which made us very happy. In Haiti, most of the educated are from the capital and are extremely reluctant to leave it. But the doctor and nursees are very dedicated people.
Project Medishare is associated with the University of Miami. We routinely brought down groups of medical students, nurses, and doctors to conduct rural outreach....we try to get to the most neglected areas of Thomonde. Even though Thomonde now has a clinic, it can still be a three to four hour walk for many individuals to get to.
These trips have been part medical exchange and part cultural exchange. Its a good opportunity to provide needed care, screen, and educate. The students really begin to understand the role that culture plays in medical understandings. We hope this is something that stays with them throughout their medical careers as well as a sustained interest in Haiti.
Visiting providers can participate in rural outreach with us. Another option (if you are interested) is that I could check with the people at Cange Hospital (a beautiful place) to see if they might need a good surgeon such as yourself for a few days. You could maybe divide up your time in Thomonde and Cange Hospital. Its about an hour drive, no big deal.
Rural Haitiains are wonderful people. They are always laughing no matter how hard gets, their stamina is incredible. They are always ready to tell a joke, play a prank, or sit around and share stories. Contrary to the media image, most Haitians are not violent whatsoever. In fact, I find them to be much warmer and caring than Americans in general! They deserve better than what they have been given.
I apologize if I am rambling. Haiti holds a special place in my heart. We would love to have you with us on the next medical trip. We have given you an idea of when it will be, and we can provide you exact dates soon. We could use you in our rural health outreaches or perhaps the hospital would need your skills as a surgeon. In either context, your experiences and knowledge would be invaluable.
We promise you good company and an experience that will be interesting, rewarding, and fun.
If you have any questions, dont hesitate to contact me. I would be happy to talk with you further!
Sincerely,
Bryan Schaaf
PS. I know several doctors at the Cange hospital who would be thrilled to have medical journals.
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