100 Holes for Haiti Golf Event

On Thursday September 15, 2011 some 36 golfers gathered at Beverly Golf & Curling

Club to raise money for HAS and for Stella House Orphanage. The fundraiser was

dubbed 100 Holes for Haiti. Volunteers from two organizations, the Canadian Friends

of HAS and The Joy & Hope of Haiti, joined forces to put on this event, which is unlike

most golf tournaments you have heard about. Participants didn’t just pay a fee to play.

Rather they made a donation to the hospital and orphanage and asked their family, friends

and colleagues to make donations as well. The result of people’s generosity was a net

profit of over $64,000 (and counting).

Canadian Friends will send half of that total downto the hospital. The other half will go to the orphanage. The event itself was a dream day for the golfers. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks and

snacks were all provided. There were only 36 golfers spread through 18 holes so golfers,

each with their own riding cart, were free to go to whatever holes they wished. Most teed

up two balls on the par 4s and 5s and three or more balls on the par 3s. Representing

CFHAS as golfers were Arlene Sargeant, Gini Steel, Bob Becksfort, Jim Stark, Ken

Bond, Nick Bond, Hal Devins, Dave McKay, Andy Hamilton and Walt Civiero. (Brad

Berquist and Peter & Cathy Johnson participated in the fundraising even though they

were unable to golf this year.) For the first time, medals were presented to golfers who

actually completed 100 holes or more. Ken Bond and his playing partner, son Nick, each

received a medal. The putting contest was run by Adrienne Devins and Susan McKay

with help from Pam Smye and Mary Beth Ledden. Rick Elliott won first prize and Dave

McKay second prize. Cathy Zavitz, the main organizer of the 100 Holes event, spent

much of the day driving around the course with a videographer who was capturing the

flavour of the event, including footage of golf shots and lots of interviews with golfers. It

will be interesting to see the video when it is ready.

When darkness threatened, all the golfers settled in for a delicious dinner. Joining the

CFHAS golfers and organizers for the meal were Hilda Stark, Debbie Berquist, Penny

Bond and Penny’s sister, Judith, who was visiting from England. With photos of the

Haitian people in both Deschapelles (HAS) and Cap Haitien (Stella House Orphanage)

playing in the background, emcee Rick Elliott deftly moved the diners through the formal

parts of the evening. Hal Devins gave a moving speech about the needs at HAS and the

very real difference that donors make in the lives of the people in the Artibonite Valley

in Haiti. Jim Turnbull gave an equally moving speech about the care the orphans at Stella

House get, including helping them to get training for meaningful work. To wrap up the

wonderful day, golfers were each given a copy of the book, Unshaken (Dan Woolley

/ Zondervan), about a man who survived three days in the Montana Hotel which had

collapsed in the 2010 earthquake. Just for fun golfers were also given a bottle of wine

donated by Peller Estates.

Anyone interested in golfing in the 2012 100 Holes for Haiti golf event (3rd Thursday

in September) can contact Dave McKay (dmckay2@cogeco.ca). Anyone interested in

making a donation to the event can contact any of the golfers mentioned in this article.

100 Holes for Haiti Golf Event

HOPE, CARE, HEALING

Dear Friends,

These simple 3 words HOPE, CARE, HEALING describe what Hôpital Albert Schweitzer- Haiti

(HAS) is to the people living in the Artibonite Valley in Haiti.

We at Canadian Friends of Hôpital Albert Schweitzer (CFHAS) are pleased to continue to provide our

support to HAS. Since our official beginning in 2003 Canadian Friends of Hôpital Albert Schweitzer

have raised close to $1 million dollars for the hospital through fundraising events and personal

donations.

As we approach 2012 our hope is for your continued interest and commitment to HAS. Because of your

support, we are able to help HAS lead the way to healthier tomorrows.

Hope

In a country laden with diseases of poverty and limited material and environmental resources Hôpital

Albert Schweitzer serves as a source of good health and an outpost of hope

Care

The primary Haitian staff is joined by visiting physicians from around the globe to provide life-

changing, life-saving care. One half of the patients are children suffering from malnutrition, intestinal

or respiratory diseases

Healing

Through a network of health centres, mobile clinics and community health worker HAS extends its

healing reach into remote mountain communities to treat malnutrition, proved maternal and child health

cares, safe water sources and education of disease prevention.

As we celebrate the Christmas season, so many of us are looking for ways to do more to help others.

A perfect gift for your family and friends is our gift card. Your gift card donation gives you and your

loved one the continued opportunity to provide the Haitian people with hope, care and healing.

Please help Make a Difference.

Cathy Johnson

President

Canadian Friends of Hôpital Albert Schweitzer

A video produced at The Haiti Happening from NewsClipTV.com

http://newscliptv.com/videos/haiti-fundraiser.html

March 2012 update letter from John Walton

CEO SEARCH FOR HAS: First, as you may know, Ian Rawson, PhD has been serving as our interim managing director at the hospital since November of 2009.  With a lifelong connection to HAS, Ian was willing to extend that temporary role and remain at HAS when the earthquake hit Haiti and the needs for our services became even greater.   We are grateful for all he has given to HAS.  Recently, Ian let the board know of his intentions to step down from this interim role, and our board defined a search to find a Chief Executive Officer.  Clearly, Ian’s commitment to the hospital and the people of Haiti is both passionate and unwavering and we are grateful that he is willing to maintain his role during the search. 

To find the right candidate for the CEO position, our board has created a search committee and retained the services of Tyler & Company and its international partner, Signium International, which specialize in the healthcare industry.  We are searching for a unique individual who can provide leadership for our multinational management team, sustain collaborative relationships with partners in the public and private sectors and advance the institution through fundraising efforts.  It’s a compelling and exciting role for a strong leader during a critical time in Haiti.

A copy of the release that we have shared with media about this can be accessed via this link (www.hashaiti.org/content/HAS-Announces-International-Search-for-CEO) you may very well know of candidates who would be a great fit for HAS.  If you do, please use the contact information in the news release to share your thoughts.

 

Beyond this news, I also wanted to share several updates from Haiti:

OUTPATIENT CLINICS:  A trend which was noted in 2011 has continued this year, with an increase in patients who arrive at the hospital’s outpatient clinics.  Because HAS is a referral hospital, all new patients other than accident victims must be referred from one of HAS’ four dispensaries or the ambulatory health centers managed by the Ministry of Health or other voluntary agencies. The demand for services at these centers has increased, primarily due to the increased population of displaced persons from the earthquake, as well as the changing epidemiology with increased cases of acute presentations of chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. Advanced training in the management of controlled diabetes in the dispensaries has been implemented, and this will be followed by similar programs for the management of hypertension and asthma.  

CHOLERA UPDATE:  With the goal of predicting future trends, HAS continues to host research teams from the CDC which pursue information about trends in the cholera epidemic in Haiti.  We do anticipate an increase in cases in the summer rainy season, and HAS has participated in a regional planning effort to manage the influx of patients. The Ministry of Health is the host agency for the operation of Cholera Treatment Centers and the few patient who arrive at HAS are transferred to the Ministry facility in nearby Verettes.  HAS participates in a U.N.-sponsored environmental health cluster that coordinates the construction of major water systems, latrines and public education among agencies such as the national water system, the French Red Cross and the Swiss agency Helvetas.

MEDICAL ASSISTANCE:  Dr. Ernst maintains contact with physicians and other practitioners around the world, and is able to sustain a controlled flow of specialist volunteers to HAS. Normally, these professionals bring skills which are not normally here, such as plastic surgery or cardiology. Because of an emergency medical condition, one of our anesthetists is currently absent, and a special appeal has gone out to cover this absence.  Volunteers are encouraged to contact Silvia Ernst, MD, Medical Director (sernst@hashaiti.org) for more information.

 ORTHOTICS:  The Hanger Prosthetics clinic is now offering orthotics as well as prosthetics, which has been welcomed. Since the January 2010 earthquake, the Ivan R. Sabel/Hanger Foundation has provided over 1,200 new limbs at the HAS prosthetics clinic.  As the backlog of earthquake-related amputations have declined, there is a growing need for orthotics. The four Haitian prosthetics technicians are now being qualified in orthotics. The Hanger/HAS clinic will serve the areas of the Artibonite and Central plateau, in partnership with Partners in Health; the combined populations of these departments is the second largest population concentration in the country.

In closing, we will keep you apprised as to changes occurring at HAS and welcome your feedback.  While much work remains to be done in Haiti today, there is great progress and great hope.  As we move forward, we value your support.  Don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions.  

 Best wishes,

John R. Walton

Board Chair

HAS Managing Director Ian Rawson comments on New York Times Article

View original article.

This is an interesting article with fascinating historical insights. However, we must not lose sight of the fact that our greatest danger lies in the future, and not too far ahead.

In two short months the cholera will emerge again in the Artibonite, where it originated and will bring with it many more cases.

The official government policy is that cholera will be treated at Ministry of Health facilities, and not at hospitals such as ours. We concur with this policy, but note with regret that our two local MSPP facilities have not yet been given the resources to address this great challenge. There is a great deal of discussion among all of us who are partners in providing health services in this region, but this by itself does not provide resources.

During the first two peaks of cholera, HAS expended almost a half-million (unbudgeted) dollars in infrastructure, staffing and logistical expenses.

Our governmental partners in this region are professionally qualified to manage the predicted demand, but not unless they receive the support which they need to hire staff, establish treatment centers, and receive life-saving medicines and supplies.

Ian G. Rawson, PhD
Managing Director