Hands of Light in Action

Physical therapist and HOLIA board member, Betsy Murphy, has decided to volunteer in Haiti for nearly 3 months! In order to do so, she has had to resign from her employment in Raleigh, NC. She plans to travel to Haiti on July 12 and will stay until early October, in order to provide a stable & consistent point of HOLIA mission leadership & coordination.

Please read her own words about what she hopes to accomplish & how YOU can help her to make this world a BETTER place:

Betsy’s Fundraising Letter

The day started early for at 5 AM, Dr Scottie was sending an ARC mother to the hospital to have a baby! We had Edner, Junior, Retha, Shana, Nancy and Jon working at the PT clinic today. When I walked through the camp last week, I found this patient Poppie that was sitting on a cement block. He is 70 years old. It would take max assist to get him off that block. He was shaky and using 2 sticks for canes to get around. Steady, he was NOT. I told him to begin to come to PT. He came and after exercise, I asked Junior to walk “Poppie” with his walker. Told Junior to take him all around the camp until Poppie was tired…

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It is just Shana, Jon, Nancy and Scottie at the camp right now. Sunday is our REST day–Went to church service at tent at ARC. Beautiful music and message. All dressed in finest. After church, Scottie, HHI Dr and I were called to ARC camp because 11 y…r old Malaquin (favorite of many volunteers) was hit by a huge rock, holding the tent tarp down, as it tumbled down from the roof of a tent. The rock fell on and fractured his hip. Patrick, camp president tore down 2 2×4s and we ace wrapped them together then ace wrapped a pillow to the boards. I stabilized the leg and the men lifted Malaquin to the board. We then ace wrapped his leg to the boards. Throughout this ordeal, Malaquin hardly shed a tear. As we were placing him in the van, Malaquin looked at me and said “Where’s Jon?”. I just laughed and gave him a big hug and kiss. Dr Scottie and Mom rode with him to the hospital. Suddenly we get a call from Dr Scottie saying Malaquin wants to talk to Jon. Malaquin talked to Jon for about 5 mins. So sorry that Malaquin fractured his leg but what a unique experience to treat, brace a fracture with what we have, and the phone call to Jon….
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Thank you all for leaving food and supplies. We closed down the clinic and the PT for the weekend but we still saw a few in the tents. HHI Dr Scottie and I were called to the camp early this AM for a baby having seizures. I brought her back and Dr Scottie went to see a patient of mine for catheter removal. Treated Caroles sister for her knee dislocated at warehouse and Dugan for he lifted a 100 pound bag of rice. Put them both out of commission for a couple of days. We all worked at warehouse sorting food then we were able to TAKE some
food:):):) because we helped so our cabinets are pretty stocked right now. Julma has been bringing us mangos, bananas and pineapples:) YUM!

More to tell but a few LAC children showed up to walk with us to ARC camp for they know a short cut. Have to go. Jeff Berry is there and lookin GREAT!!!!

Hugs to all,

Nancy
PS I still havent handed out the presents sent by some volunteers to patients for the word gets around so fast at the camp. I will hand them out but closer to when I leave.

Upon deplaning and transport by bus over to the baggage shed, my 15 year old, Jon and I had to find and gather 4 big suitcases amidst a …CROWD of people all nationalities vying for a spot next to the small baggage run. About 30 minutes later, we managed to gather our 4 large bags

I have been in deep reflection today after chatting with a patient from LAC–Adrianne borrowed her computer to him—I thank all of the volunteers that have helped Haiti and all of the ones that are going down. ALL OF YOU DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!! Without our help, we would have 3 generations of THOUSANDS of Haitians …that not only would have lost what little they have but they would also be faced with permanent disabilities! The work we are doing is HUGE and I just can’t thank you all enough!

Take the time to reflect on what you have done or are going to do—ITS IMMENSE, AWESOME and PRICELESS!!!

Hugs to you all,
Nancy

We are working at Fond Parisien at Love A Child in Haiti. All patients are in tents donated by Taiwan. We have a tent hospital, surgery in 2 tents, intensive care, and approx 70 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 47 external fixation fractures, 29 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.
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