Join
Our List |
|
|
|
Greetings!
There
are times when the Good Samaritan Hospital needs your help for one
of our patients and today is that day! In fact, there are two
children who urgently need care and I am asking for your prayers
and finances to help them on their journey to healthy lives.
Please read further to discover how you may serve them from
afar!
|
Crooked
legs
|
|
Angelica,
2 years
old
Angelica is a n energetic 2-year old girl who we met in a mobile
health clinic in her batey, Santonio, near Cacata. Her mother
brought her in to be consulted for the normal cough and cold that
most children's parents complain of, but it was obvious that she
also had another problem with her legs.
We referred who to one of the Good Samaritan Hospital's
orthopedists, Dr. Herrerra, who then referred her to the C.U.R.E.
Foundation in Santo Domingo. When they evaluated her there, they
agreed that they could do surgery on both legs for the cost of
$14,000 pesos. This comes out to about $390 US dollars. The
visiting team from Wallingford, CT was able to give money for her
initial visit to C.U.R.E. as well as transportation costs. The
mother even raised $4,000 pesos, herself, for the surgery but we
are still $10,000 pesos or about $277 dollars short. This will
cover the cost of surgery on both legs. C.U.R.E. let her know that
as soon as she had the money together, they would schedule her
surgery.
Wouldn't you love to see her run and play with the other kids and
grow without the difficulty of curved legs? PLEASE help us give
her that opportunity by donating funds for her care. You may send
donations to (specify "Care for Angelica"):
Good Samaritan Mission Council
800-126 Main Street
Holden, MA 01520
OR
Make a PayPal donation online at: www.laromana.org. When
selecting a category for the donation, you may choose Charity
Care.
|
Lean
on me
|
|
Nelson,
3 years old
Back in February of this year, a mobile medical clinic from the
Good Samaritan Hospital saw Nelson during a visit to Palo Bonito, a
batey near Higuey and about 45 minutes from the Good Samaritan
Hospital. Nelson had a mass over his dorsal spine as well as scars
on his right flank from an "abscess." He was unable to walk
upright but rather walked while leaning on his knees. The team
referred him to the Good Samaritan Hospital and told his mother to
ask for Kristy.
During this time, I was making trips back and forth to Haiti. The
day that the mother came to the clinic, I was in Haiti so when she
heard I wasn't there, she left without a consultation and returned
to her batey. Fast forward to three weeks ago... I was working
with the Wallingford, CT team in a mobile clinic in Palo Bonito.
Friend and colleague, Debbie Malloy, NP, called me over to her
bench to co-consult on a patient and here was Nelson! When the
mother heard my name, she smiled and said, "I went to see you in
February but you weren't there!" She explained about the previous
referral and I remembered someone telling me about the case of a
young child who walked while leaning on his knees. We told her
that she needed to come and see us very soon so that we could find
out what was wrong with Nelson's back. She explained that it cost
her $1000 pesos (about $30 US) just for transportation. Debbie had
donated funds for just such a need and was able to give the mother,
now 8 months pregnant, money to be evaluated at the Good Samaritan
Hospital.
Dr. Herrerra also saw this patient and referred them onto the
C.U.R.E. Foundation for care. We sent them with x-rays of the
spine and money for transportation. Then we waited. Three days
ago, I went to go look for Nelson in his batey because we hadn't
heard anything. His mother said she didn't have money to go to the
hospital anymore so couldn't do anything. C.U.R.E. had asked for
several labs to be done but she couldn't pay for those either.
And, now she was due to deliver any day. I gave her money from
donated funds to come to the hospital the next day so we could do
the labs, which included a TB sputum. She came and did all of the
labs except the sputum test because Nelson refused to spit! His
previous TB test from last year was negative but C.U.R.E. wants a
new one.
So, here we are now. We need labs paid for and help for the
mother to get to Santo Domingo for follow-up care and possible
surgery or expensive treatment. She also has a 4 year old and a 1
year old at home. The hospital has offered a free tubal ligation
for the mother but there is also an urgent need to get Nelson the
medical attention he needs before any further damage is done to his
spine. Will you be the one that Nelson can lean on for support?
We need donations of money for continued treatment and many prayers
for the family. If you are able to help, please donate online at:
www.laromana.org
or mail your donation (with a note "Care for Nelson") to:
Good Samaritan Mission Council
800-126 Main Street
Holden, MA 01520
Thank you for your help! |
|
|