Our trip in October with Gail McGee , Rob Kelch and Nichol Krupp was overshadowed by the tragic death of Madam Kisnail (Francionette Marie). She was a jubilant, energetic and captivating young woman who served as the night nanny at the HFAP Guest House . Pregnant with twins in one of the most impoverished countries in the western hemisphere is lethal. She died in childbirth at a local “Doctors without Borders Hospital” of complications of twin delivery/abruptio placenta and toxemia, leaving little “twin A”, Kimberly, and her 3 year old sister in the care of HFAP until their father could come to grips with the loss. We did have a two-day clinic at the School, which opened for business the day we arrived. A Haitian gynecologist (Dr. Anglade) and a local pediatrician (Dr. Jean) were important steps to making that clinic self-sustaining. Thereafter we spent three days in tent cities, which had been established outside of Cite Soleil. One of the local internists (Dr. Francois), helped immensely at the tent city OKAY. Tent city residents in City Jeremie and OKAY hadn’t seen any physicians or medical personnel since the quake. They were so grateful to finally have their medical needs addressed.
Through the fall, during hurricane season, the residents of the tent cities were under water contaminated by the cholera-infected stool of other tent city inhabitants. The situation was unbearable to see. Please see images provided by Nicole Krupp in the photo gallery labeled trips 2 and 4.