Back Home

The entire team arrived home safely last night from Haiti. Approximately 80 people attended the dedication ceremony at Justinian Hospital and Sam and Dr. Bojko put the wheels in motion for the first modern burn center to be built at Sacre Coeur Hospital in Milot. Please check back for pictures of their trip.

April 27th, Jim Ressler's Blog

Our morning started early. Tom, Karen, Sam, and I along with george the translator met and planned out the day. Sam and Tom went directly up to the burn clinic at For Haiti With Love in Cap Haitian. Karen, george and I went over to the PT clinic to finish up some last minute details before the dedication ceremony this afternoon was to take place. We then traveled up to the burn clinic to meet Tom and Sam. We met the other volunteers up there and toured the facility in order to see our previous trips donations in use. We saw the new treatment table that we had delivered and some other supplies. Yesterday we also delivered to them a new stretcher which would enable them to move patients around in an easier fashion. We also spoke to the volunteers. I asked them about the chores they were performing as I want to send down volunteers as well. They all said you have to be willing to take some intiative to get things started otherwise there is down time. They also said they they helped feed the poor that needed food and helped at the orphanage. There jobs were everything non medical with the exception of one nursing student who was volunteering. She was doing some basic work with patients. The other volunteers were getting ready to leave for an airstrip to help unload a plane. I also looked at the generator that needed to be replaced as well as the car batteries that are used for powering the clinic. They despatately need more car batteries and a diesel generator. I asked why there were not more patients and they told me they ran out of medication. They need salvadine to treat patients and they ran out yesterday. They were hoping for some more by ther end of the week. They said the patients would have to suffer without it but there was nothing they could do. We also talked about what kind of program volunteers would do. If volunteers don't have medical experience they can come as well but not as defined of a role. They kind of have to just go with whatever is needed. All volunteers have a place to stay that is under watch of security with shotguns 24 hours a day. It is part of the clinic. All volunteers also must have enough food for their time spent there.

Afternoon
We went back to the PT clinic for the dedication. We all did some pictures around a plaque on the wall which thanked Royal Caribbean, Medical Angels and Burn Advocates. Next was the actual ceremony. We all filed into the room and about 80 people were there. They were both sitting and standing. The whole ceremony was taped by Justinian hospital. Nurses Doctors and adminstrators were present. There were 7 speeches which included a priest to bless the clinic, Dr Coc, Dr Vulcain and some others. Sam also spoke as representative of Burn Advocates and Medical Angels. He spoke in French and did a good job of it. Every speaker thanked Medical Angels and Burn advocates and Sam Karen and I. I was impressed that they actually thanked us as they haven't been overly appreciative. Sam then had Karen and I come up to the podium. I had the chance to speak briefly in english. It was kind of payback for listening for the last hour or so them only speak in French. I had a chance to thank Aimee Fink (cofounder of Medical Angels) premier Home healthcare and a list of other companies that helped out. I can't list them all right now as I am too tired. Both before and after the ceremony we spoke with representatives of Royal Caribbean who were in attendance. They confirmed a lot of what the hijackers had spoken to me about and safety is their main concern. Apparently when shots were fired on the road to Labadee there was a tap tap of Royal employees going home. They were concerned about stray bullets and general violence. Anyway after the ceremony everyone ate and drank and toured the facility. Everyone seemed excited about the PT unit being there. We took more pictures with the Royal crew and others. The ceremonys ended about 330 pm

The market
Afterwards George Karen and me went to walk around the used market. We walked about a mile to get there. The streets were crowded, dusty and boiling hot. As we walked thru the used shoe market they were hundreds of thousands of used shoes on the ground being soldm. Sneakers, high heels, espadrils, winter boots and anything else u could imagine. We weaved thru the used clothing market and then made our way trhu the used underwear and sock area. The clothing and underwear areas were filthy. It was really nasty. We made it over to the used bed area. Tons of locals selling used beds for anywhere between 100 to 150 US dollars. Quite a site to see as the beds are dirty and laying in the dirt. We then walked thru the food markets and saw all the local foods and chickens being sold for slaughter. Overall and intersting day but much easier on the nerves then yesterday. Tommarrow we catch an 830 am flight on the prop plane to florida. Looking forward to going home. Remember to follow medicalangels on facebook and twitter or www.medicalangelsdonations.org.

Dedication Ceremony, April 26, 2010

Today was the dedication ceremony for the first OT/PT Center at Justinian Hospital in Cap Haitien. Pictures and details to follow.

April 26, 2010 Jim Ressler's Blog

We left early and all went separate ways. Karen went to the new PT clinic to teach aides how do PT. Sam and Tom went to Sacre Couer to work on their burn clinic. Pressime the national police officer picked me up. His truck came and then he showed up in uniform on a motorcycle. I had to take the motorcycle out for a ride thru town. I went out for about 15 minutes. Wow the potholes could eat a car so they would destroy a motorcycle. It was a good way to see a little of the city. We then went over the mountain in the back of the truck to Labadee. The road was still pretty rough. We had heard the road was no longer patrolled by the UN. Pressime told me how in the last 2 weeks the road got much worse. Safety became a major issue where as in the past it was only an issue. We passed the areas of the last mudslides where we had to carry the supplies last month. We saw a rock on the edge of the mountain that is ready to come down in the next major rain. We finally arrived in labadee at the Royal Caribbean dock. We were there to pick up some supplies that weren't unloaded last month from the ship. After calling NJ to speak with jordana to gain access we found out our supplies were no longer there. They orignally forgot to unload them off the ship and they off loaded them in ST Thomas. From there they were supposed to be brought back to Haiti. They did end up coming back but couldn't be offloaded due to new customs regulations and security concerns at the dock. They are being shipped back to florida and will be back in Haiti on May 4th. We waited to meet with the site manager at the gates for about an hour. Finally we could not stay any longer as we had other things to do. After speaking to various people we learned there are 2 basic problems Royal Caribbean is dealing with. The first is the Haitian government wants to charge duty on all donations coming into the country. The second is security on the road back to Cap Hatian.
Mayor-Govenor
Next I wanted to meet the guy who was running these 3 villages to find out what the deal was. Pressime took me to his office. We went in and met with him and a few of his associate in a small cramped room. He related the security issues and how they need help. Pressime told me not to ask of his involvement. he knew of all that was going on on the road. He also said we would pass safely with supplies if we shared a piece with them. Anyway I think we solved the security problem for us. I would not want to be with another group that hadn't addressed this problem with the locals because they will definitely take their supplies. We saw the rock enclaves where they throw the rocks down on the trucks from.
Pressime also told me he had broken down on the road about a week ago. He said he only had a problem with one guy. They all knew him and For Haiti With Love. They knew he feeds and provides medical attention to the locals there. One guy was getting a little out of hand with him so he pepper sprayed the guy in the face. He said the guy fell down but he helped the guy clean his eyes with lemon water. He claims he then fed the guy. Eventually he got his truck running and they moved on. Again they all know what he does so they have a fear respect thing for him. He is a great ally to have. They all wave to him in these dangerous towns and yell out his name when he comes thru. Anyway I think security shouldn't be an issue but it is like the wild west up in the mountain towns

Next we went down to check on Karen. She was still teaching so we moved on. We went back to his clinic with a strecher we had donated and picked up some of his volunteers. We took the road thru the most horrible slums to the orphanage. The people on the street looked terrible. It was hot and lots of people all over along with goats, pigs chickens and any other animal you could imagine roaming the streets. We arrived at the orphange and played with the kids. After about an hour sam and tom got there and 30 minutes later Karen came over. Karen gave out bracelets and earrings made by Kristy (her sister) and her schoolchildren. Kristy is a teacher and had her class make beaded bracelets and earrings for the kids. The orphans went crazy for them. They loved them and all were wearing them. It was really great to see how happy this made them. Sam brought some instruments with him and put together a little band of kids whicj also included Karen Pressime and Roselyn. It was funny to see Pressime with the gun in the back of his pants and playing a musical instrument and singing. The kids seemed to really enjoy it. At this point between our team and the volunteers the kids were having a lot of fun. We then gave out the Ralph Lauren clothing to all the kids. Karen distributed the clothing and they were excited. I don't think they knew what Ralph Lauren was but they liked the idea of new clothing. They are normally wearing used or hand me downs. They were glowing. It was really heartwarming. From here we all hopped in the back of the truck and drove 30 minutes back to town. We went to the clinic and Hotel again and met with Dr Vulcain for dinner.

I am sure I missed a lot that I can tell anyone in person. I can say it was one of those days I will always remeber as I met with hijackers in the morning and orphans in the afternoon. I felt a wide array of emotions from nervousness to excitement today.

Also for those of you who know Karen she had a mouse in her room. We had to try and chase it out. I think that should be the least of our concerns and she sEemed to take it in stride. I told her to talk nice to it and maybe it will leave her alone

Tomarrow we are starting our day seeing and helping burn victims at the clinic and then we have the PT dedication at noon.

Remember to follow us on twitter. Follow Medicalangels and our pics will be on facebook fan page next week.

Til tomarrow slept tight and we will see what adventures we have.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Day 1-By Jim Ressler, our partner at Medical Angels

Our journey began at 5am in the rain in NY. Sam, Tom, Karen and myself were to meet at the airport for a 630 am flight to Fort Lauderdale. Karen took her expired passport so she missed the flight and took the next one down to Lauderdale and met us there. We then waited for the charter flight that was supposed to leave at 1 to Cap Haitien Haiti. While waitng for the flight we met 4 people who were on the charter with us who were volunteering at the For Haiti With Love clinic. One was anursing student and the other 3 were just going to volunteer with the clinic and orphanage. We were only allowed 50 pounds of luggage each and 10 ponds on a carryon bag. They weighed it out exactly and we all had to move things around in order to get it on the flight. They also weighed each one of us on the scale to make sure the plane didn't have too much weight. Naturally the airline Florida Coastal Airlines was late. As we walked out onto the runway in Fort lauderdale we arrived at the prop plane which was to take us on our 2 hour and 40 minute journey to Cap Haitian. It was one of those small puddle jumpers that you couldn't stand up in. As we flew on this old prop plane we passed over islands I had never even heard of. We then passed Cuba in the distance and began our desent into Cap Haitien.

As we arrived it was just as I remebered it from last month. We all got off the plane to see the wreckage of another plane sitting on the runway. Not all that comforting to see at an airport if you could call it that. A regular jet we were told could never land there as the runway was very short. I was told that this was the largest plane that could land there. We were met at the airport by Presime, roselyn, arly and an interpetor named George. We went thru what they call Customs. That would be 1 guy sitting at a desk stamping the 10 passports of our arriving flight. Baggage claim consisted of just our bags and 1 guy insisting on seeing our claim tags. Not sure why he needed to see them as noone else really on the plane. We then loaded into 2 trucks to go thru the slums of Cap Haitian. The streets were not busy as it was 5 o'clock on Sunday. As we passed the housing you could really see the extreme misery people were living in. As I have been here before I really tried to look into some of the houses. There were no roofs on lots of them. The locals looked miserable. The roads were filled with holes that could eat cars and trucks. We weaved from one side of the road to the other in order to avoid ditches in the road. We finally arrived at hotel. This hotel makes the last one we stayed in look luxurious. We got to the rooms and paint peeling off walls and very small. Most of the windows are just screens in the rooms. It is very loud as we are inside the city this time.

Dinner
Pressime and Roselyn picked us up with their volunteers and we went to dinner at Le Kay. Food wasn't bad. We talked to them about how the hospitals refuse care to those who can't afford to pay. Patients must pay up front for the gloves the doctors wear as well as any other supplies u need while in the hospital. Pressume and Roselyn told us even things that are donated to the hospitals must be paid for by the patients. For Haiti With Love which is run by Presume and Roselyn take no money from patients for any services. That is the way it has been for forty years since Roselyns parents started the clinic. During dinner 4 girls in their 20s came in that were in nursing school. For Haiti With Love pays for them to go the nursing school in exchange they must work for the clinic for minimum of a year. These girls were orphans in the clinic when they were younger and have remained there and are now in nursing school.

We talked about For Haiti With Love being the only burn clinic in cap haitien a city of 400,000. They treat about 500 patients a week without a doctor on staff. Only nurses work there. They were very tankful for the new table and flooring we gave them. They are in desparate need of another patient table and other supplies. We talked of the possibility of opening a western style burn clinic at Sacre cCouer hospital 1.5 hours away. There issue was that again it would be a pay for service hospital. They told me a story of how a mother and father came into the clinic with an roughly 8 year old daughter who had been badly burned in the face. They said they didn't want to have a "ugly daughter". Pressime and Roselyn couldn't do much for her except try and treat the wound with their limited resources as best they could. The parents had no money to go toa pay for service hospital. A week later they found out they let the daughter die on purpose so not to have an ugly daughter. It was heartbreaking to hear how difficult life is here. The crazy thing is they say is we would need to figure out how the hospitals would have to carve out money for services if we helped build this burn clinic.

On the way down to cap we met a doctor by the name of Dean on the plane. He was running a clinic in Virginia and he comes down monthly. He told me a story of how there are 14 containers (40 footers) sitting in the port in Cap filled with both food and medical supplies. Apparently they were aid from 3 years ago but no one would release them because customs wanted to be paid for their release. You would think after the quake they would release the goods for humanitarian reasons. He went over to the port chief who showed him the containers on his last trip. He gave the port chief 1 carton of cigarettes and the port chief said for about 1000 us per contianer he would relase them secretly to him. It is very corrupt down here.
Anyway tomarrow I am taking the road to Laberdee to try and get to the docks to get the last of Medical Angels supplies that were left there bymistake. Pressime and some federal police will be joining me on my journey over the mountain. Hopefully we will get into the dock as there have been some new issues with Royal Caribbean. Karen will start the morning by training Physical Therapy aides on how to give PT. They have no training but she will try to teach thru an intepetor. Sam and Dr Tom will go to Sacre Couer hospital while I go over the mountain. In the afternoon I am going to the orphange. I have a meeting with the land owner about buying another plot of land the orphanage wants. We are going to try to raise the roughly 15000 they need for the children. Anyway we will see what tommorrow brings.

Trip to Haiti for Dedication of OT/PT Center

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Burn Advocates Network and Medical Angels Travel to Haiti for the dedication of the first Occupational and Physical Therapy Clinic in Cap Haitien, Haiti

27 April 2010 – Cap Haitien, Haiti – Haiti’s first Occupational and Physical Therapy clinic is a reality. Burn Advocates Network, a Teaneck-based not for profit organization has been leading the charge along with Medical Angels of Fort Lee to create the occupational and physical therapy clinic at Justinian Hospital in Cap Haitien, the second largest city in Haiti. In addition to outfitting the clinic, the rotations of therapists will treat hundreds of amputees and other patients as well as provide clinical instruction to the hospital staff.

Construction of the new clinic began mid-March with donations from many tri-state area based businesses including Hausmann Industries, Inc of Northvale, NJ, Jack Corradino, founding partner of the Corradino and Papa law firm in Clifton, NJ and the support of the public. A formal groundbreaking ceremony will be held April 27, 2010 in Cap Haitien.

On the wall at the entrance of the new clinic, a plaque will hallmark individuals and businesses who have contributed to the success of this project including University of Miami Medical School, The Haiti Ministry of Health, Burn Advocates Network, Medical Angels, and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Ltd. which provided free shipping of all donated equipment from NJ to Labadee, Haiti their port of call approximately 5 miles from Justinian Hospital.

A team will travel to Haiti for the dedication ceremony and will consist of Samuel Davis, Founder of Burn Advocates Network, Jim Ressler from Medical Angels and Premier Home Health Care in Fort Lee, Karen Canellos a licensed physical therapist from Englewood Hospital and Medical Center and Dr. Thomas Bojko Senior Vice Chair, Clinical Affairs Department of Pediatrics, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Director of Medical Services and Clinical Operations Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. In addition to attending the dedication ceremony, the team plans to locate a site for the first modern burn center in Haiti.

Burn Advocates Network focuses on the advocacy, rehabilitation and reintegration of burn survivors. Many of the victims from the earthquake were burned as a result of hot oil being spilled from local street vendor carts. Many sought medical help and refuge in Cap Haitien and are now in desperate need of rehabilitative services. For more information on Burn Advocates Network, contact Berger, Haiti coordinator, at 201-600-7698 or jordana@burnadvocates.org.

Medical Angels provides durable medical equipment and supplies to those who cannot afford them. Jim Ressler and Aimee Fink opened the not-for-profit in Fort Lee. Due to the disaster in Haiti Medical Angels has moved outside its core mission of helping local residents and is helping the victims of the Haitian disaster. Donations of top quality equipment are coming in daily from individuals who want to help. For more information, contact Ressler at 201-461 9595.

####

Dedication of the OT/PT Center at Justinian Hospital

Burn Advocates Network and Medical Angels are looking forward to and planning the dedication ceremony for our OT/PT clinic at Justinian Hospital in Cap Haitien, Haiti. The clinic is set to open on April 26th with a ceremony at the clinic site. Burn Advocates Network and Medical Angels are looking forward to this special event.

 

Josh and Sam attend the Screening of Date Night starring Steve Carrell at the Ziegfield Theatre in Manhattan

NY 1

Check out Jordana Berger, our Haiti Relief Coordinator and Jim Ressler from our partner Medical Angels on NY 1 News by clicking this link: http://www.ny1.com/1-all-boroughs-news-content/your_nj_news_now/116368/haiti-outreach-continues-at-local-level/?ap=1&Flash

New York 1

See Jordana Berger, Burn Advocates Haiti Relief Coordinator and Jim Ressler (Medical Angels) on NY1 tonight at 8 p.m. The newscast will be broadcast several times but will start at 8 p.m. We talk about Burn Advocates Network and our Haiti relief efforts.

More from Jim Ressler's experience:

Haiti Day 4. March 27, 2010


We got picked up by presume and Rosalyn at 8 this morning in an open box truck. Presume is the police commander and is also running For Haiti With Love with his wife. He took us on about a 20 minute drive to the For Haiti with Love clinic and facility. There were a few hundred people waiting in line when we arrived. It was protected by armed guards and barb wire fencing. We took a tour of the facility which had a big star of David on the outside of it. It was started by Rosalyn’s father who was Jewish. We saw the area where the burn victims are treated. Justinian hospital sends many patients to them for burn care. They only have nurses there no doctors yet they still operate. Conditions are really rough. Hopefully everyone saw the pictures of the clinic. It is powered by 24 car batteries with some type of converter. He also has a generator there. He also showed us rooms where volunteers could stay. They were actually ok. He has 3 rooms 2 beds per room and also has mattress that can be used on floor. We toured and saw all the supplies (11 skids) that we donated. He also had lots of rice and beans people donated from the states. He told us a lot of burn people come to him just with gauze on their burns which means when they unwrap it it opens up wounds again. Since the earthquake his volume has doubled for medical care. He has 2 nurses but needs all the help he can get. He needs extra batteries, flooring, beds, paper bags, and medical gauze, antiseptic, and everything else you can imagine. We then helped distribute food. They have a card system so when you come in for food you get your card stamped, and you can do this 3 times a week for food. Additionally they give out hygiene kits. After 500 or so people with cards get there food they randomly give out food to other people at the gates. There were hundreds of people climbing or trying to climb the gates for food. They told us a lot were from Port-Au-Prince just trying to survive on minimal food they can afford to spare for them. They also have another area where mothers and young babies wait and they distribute formula and diapers for them. They told me every can of dry formula is opened so it can't be resold by the mothers. It was really sad. They also provide basic medical care for them. It was really incredible to see. We were there for a few hours listening to their needs which are a lot.

People lining up for food at For Haiti with Love

We also looked through their medical supplies we have sent. They distribute the wheelchairs and walkers etc. to area hospitals who aren't getting aid from foreigners. We also saw a bone cutting machine they use for amputating. Remember there are only nurses here. I didn't even ask about it as it looked as if they had used it.

Afterwards we got in back of truck again for a 40 minute journey through one of the worst slums I have ever seen. Again not poverty but really a living hell.

We passed markets of used clothing. They were selling rice for $1.25 dollars per cup. Lots of arguing and misery on the streets in the main square of this slum. We finally arrived in another area where the orphanage was. It was a cement shell. 30 or so children live there. Armed guards watch the building. One room housed 16 girls 2 per bed ages 4-12. They seemed happy as they sang and danced. We have great video of this. Presume and Rosalyn showed us around. They need bunk beds and clothing. We brought some clothing donations from Polo.

Clothing donated by Polo.

The girls were thrilled to get clothing. They all share clothing and nothing goes to waste. When one grows out of the clothing the next child takes it. There are no closets or bathrooms. They go outside to use the bathroom in a bucket with a hole in ground.
Orphanage Bathroom

Horrible living conditions. I talked to them about mattresses and what happens when they are done. They said they also give them away to others who need them. Most have mosquito nets but many don't have sheets. They desperately need sheets. A few of the children were from Port-Au-Prince. One of them doesn't speak anymore because she was so traumatized by losing her family in the quake. Very sad but they did seem happy. Within the orphanage they have a school and church. School is a blackboard but they desperately need school supplies and chairs. They sit on a dirt floor.

5th grade classroom

All girls shower daily with a bucket in a private area. We stayed and they ate lunch. It was rice, beans and meat and veggies. They get 3 meals a day. Night is light meal of porridge donated by john block art auctioneer of Royal Caribbean. Overall they seemed happy but no toys or swings all of which they are in need of.

Orphans

We then went with all the girls to see a plot of land they want to purchase. They want 25k for the land but will probably take 10k for it. It is much bigger and easier living. Right now they pay $3000 per year for their current space. Their current space is a cement block building. Kitchen is 3 pots over 3 charcoal fires. A house mom sleeps in the rooms with the girls and they are protected by a guard. It is a slum but everybody knows Presume and loves him as we walked through the neighborhood. If I wasn't with him I would never go through this neighborhood. I still was glad he had a gun in his waistband.

Next we went around the corner to Presume and Rosalyn’s residence. It is under construction. They live there with his twins who were in Port-Au-Prince for the earthquake. They also have an adopted son Samuel who was left on their porch by someone when he was roughly 6 months old. He is now about 2. They don't know exactly how old or where he came from. Oh yeah and he has 18 older girls living in the house with them. It is the equivalent of a 3 bedroom house. At this point all the girls from the other orphanage were at this house as well. There were 48 kids in this house with us. These people are saints. I couldn't do it. Rosalyn picks them all up and they all hug and kiss both of them. The youngest in the house is 1 year old. He is being adopted by someone in the states but his older sister who is 6 doesn't know it yet.

Next they took us on another journey for an hour in back of truck to Milot to see Sacre Couer Hospital. This is a rough ride in the hot sun standing. No roads, just dirt. Much of roads are destroyed. Sacre Couer is considered one of the more modern hospitals. Many American doctors passing through. This is where the O2 generator that Burn Advocates Network shipped for Holy Name Hospital was. They built a special concrete room for it so it would stay intact. We toured the Intensive Care Unit which was still nothing like an American hospital. Met with the medical director and talked of needs list. He took us to the refugee camp area. Apparently hundreds of wounded flown in by UN helicopters after the quake and med director has ordered there discharge. Unfortunately they have nowhere to go as some are even children that came without parents so they set up this "camp". It was compassionate of this director to do this. He doesn't want to send people away as they have nowhere left to go during rainy season.


We then toured what looked like the TV show MASH units.
There were about 5 long tents where we met many child amputees. Kids 4 and up without limbs. We also toured birth unit in a tent etc.
They seemed to be the best organized organization and we saw many doctors from America . We met teams from Ohio , Vermont , St. Barnabas in Livingston, NJ and many others. When I was leaving the bathroom they had just rushed in a girl who had a head ruptured open and part of face crushed. They seemed to be very compassionate as I watched them work on this poor local girl. The med director had to go to help so I found my way out and met the rest of group outside

As it rained we got back in the open trucks and rode about an hour or longer back to motel. I needed cash but the banks are closed so Presume went to a part of town where there were guys on street with huge wads of cash just exchanging money on street. He said it was common for the banks don't always have money to exchange.

Anyway it was very tough day to see all this. The kids were really sad but what For Haiti With Love people do is amazing. It is so selfless what they are doing. Presume and his wife are amazing. I didn't mention on Sundays he allows anyone to come into the church at orphanage and feeds everyone that comes.

Tomorrow we are seeing another hospital, going back to PT room and may possibly go to Port-Au-Prince.



Final Day, Day 5, March 28, 2010
We started early today and met at 445am in lobby. Our ride was supposed to come at 5am. At 530 he hadn't shown so we climbed into what they called a taxi (old broken down car with driver and wife). We made our way down the bumpy "roads" and got to airport about 550 am. Our flight was at 6 but the airport wasn't open. Also when we arrived luckily our driver that was supposed to pick us up was there for us. I am not sure which part he didn't understand but he was supposed to drive us. He said hello and goodbye. The airport finally opened about 630. Security consisted of an x-ray machine that didn't work. They were using it as a counter to look through your bags on and not a real thorough look. Then you walked through a metal detector that wasn't working. We sat til about 7 for our flight that was scheduled to leave at 6. Finally the electricity started working again as I saw the metal detector you walk through at airport finally light up. We then boarded the prop plane with 4 other passengers on the bench seats

Arrival at Port Au Prince
We found a local as soon as we arrived named nadir. He immediately ferried us in a old beat up truck to American Airlines. We waited about an hour outside the airport and finally got in due to crowds and checked in. We then left the airport and met Nadir again who drove us about a mile out of airport and introduced us to his son

His son took us to port au prince. We started up north and fromthe first minutes in all you saw was devastion. Tent cities sprung up and ran for miles and miles. Houses and buildings were in all phases of destruction. We saw buildings that had pancaked onto of itself, roofs and exteriors of homes collapsed and anything you could imagine. As we travelled further south in the city nearer to the epicenter of the quake it got worse and worse. UN tanks and soldiers were abundant from every country. We saw schools that we completely flattened. We saw schoolchildren that were having outdoor classes at the tent city. We then travelled further into downtown. We saw many flattened cars still under ruble. Driver told us they can't even be sure if bodies are still in there. They all stunk. The smell was terrible. People were working for the govt for 3 dollars a day trying to remove rubble.


Epicenter
As we got near the epicenter our driver told us we could no longer get out of the car. He said someone had punched him on his hand with a gun here last week and robbed him. He claimed this area was being controlled by prisoners from the prison that had collapsed nearby. People were digging through the rubble. He explained the area is so bad and locals so desperate that they are looking for bodies to steal from. He told us when they find bodies sometimes they find money and jewelry. We took pictures in this area but moved quickly through it. The devastion was crazy. Buildings completely demolished. I think it looked like a war zone must look. He told us stories of relatives ad friends lost. He said it was 42 seconds of hell he is 27 with a wife and 2yr old. He said the floor and walls just started moving like he was on a wave. Everyone was in the streets and it went silent then only wailing and screaming. Seeing it was something else. You could see how hard life was and how hard it had become.


His house
We went to his house but only saw back as it was damaged. We met his wife and child who were living a fairly difficult life in a small shack. His neighborhood had all tents in the street. Most of the neighborhoods had tents propped in the middle of residential streets. The roads were not nearly as bad as Cap Haitien but we did encounter areas that were impassable due to cracks in ground and bridges down. We crossed on bridge that I was a bit nervous on. Part of the bridge was torn apart but we went across anyway

Tent city

We arrived at one tent city that was at the local university. The actual college was destroyed all that was left were shells of buildings and stairs leading up to nowhere. We arrived through a makeshift gate and someone lifted it for us. On the way in there was a sign for a hotel which no longer existed. We got out as our driver told us that many people from his neighborhood were living in this section of the tent city. Whole neighborhoods were relocated together. As we walked through u saw the devastation on the peoples faces. The tents were almost touching in some areas with no privacy. Water was shared at various spots and people were living in misery. The inside of temts were basically just floors and people living on them. The area was dirty. We started to work our back through the city to find the hospital. On way back we ran into his friend with child. The child was missing a big part of his foot. He was about ten and a building fell on him. He was lodged underneath and they pulled him out after a day. Apparently they pulled part of his foot off. It was heartbreaking as Karen felt he definitely needed medical care. We moved further in the tent city towards the hospital. The hospital looked like a long tents. We couldn't go in as the gates were closed so we hiked back out of past all the people in misery.

Airport
At this point we needed to head back to the airport. We videoed miles and miles of tented cities. We passed more and more destroyed buildings, banks, trucks, and homes. We passed Cite Soliel the worst slum in Port-Au-Prince. The driver told us there are a few murders a day there now. He wouldn't ever go in there as way too dangerous especially after the quake. As we got closer to the airport we started slowing to a stop in the road. Now up until this point the car had stalled a number of times and every time he stopped and turned off the engine it took awhile to start again. Bad battery it seemed. Well this time he ran out of gas. Fortunately for us we were only a block or so from the gas station. So the driver and I got out and began pushing the car through traffic. It was close to 100 degrees and I was definitely not in the mood to push but had no choice. We got to the gas station and I guess the driver was happy as we didn't run out of gas further away from the station. That too was short lived as the station had run out of gas. We waited while he found another station with a gas can and filled it with a gallon of gas. You would think after that he would stop and put in some more gas but he kept on going. We stopped and got a "meal", Oreo cookies and starburst as the store really dint have a lot of food. The shelves were bare. We finally got to the airport and waited another hour to get in and now on way back to NY.

Burn Advocates Network is working with Medical Angels in collaboration with Royal Carribean Cruise Lines Ltd. and University of Miami Medical School to open the first OT/PT clinic in Haiti. Jim Ressler from Medical Angels went to Haiti along with his team, Karen a physical therapist and Arlene an occupational therapist to set up the clinic. Below are Jim's detailed descriptions of his trip to Haiti so far. I did not edit this information, I wanted you to see it in its raw form.

Haiti Day 1. March 24, 2010
Wow. Its was an eyeopener. From landing in port au prince it has been crazy. Airport was lost so in big hangers. No baggage claim just everyone taking stuff. Walked out to try to find connection flight. Next hanger was thru slum that was a madhouse. We hiked to salsa air which was anhour delayed

Salsa air
Small 8 seater with bench seats. They were training a new pilot which made the 30 minute flight interesting. I didn't even realize as I fell asleep. We arrived in Cap hatien in the heat (96 degrees) with 3 other passengers and they asked for baggage claim tickets. Total of 6 onplane and didn't want to give us bags. It was a one room (roughly 500 foot)airport. There must be anither airport. Dr vulcan from justinian hospital and his asst picked us up in a pickup truck. Arline and karen sat inside and I had to sit in outside to watch the bags so no one stole them.

Road
Mud not roads in lots of places. Rode thru the worst slum I have ever seen. Mud covering passageways so we had to drive over mounds of dirt. People riding 4 on a moped. Poverty more like misery then poverty. Finally got to hotel. Not bad hotel.

Ot Pt clinic
Got to building and very dirty. Part of old church school but inside was not bad just a little dirty. Went thru the rooms and picked a large room. There idea is to have inpatient and outpatient. We will try to get supplies off dock tomarrow. Road to labedee still shut down in 2 spots due to mudslides and boulders in road. Potholes are more like ditches in the road.

Justinian hospital
Went to take a quick look tonite. was horrendous conditions. Filthy dirty. Post surgery room with pieces of metal holding up iv bags. Some beds no sheets. Dirty dirty. Everyone in one big room with no windows just the actual holes for window. Basically open air hospital. Saw 2 surgical rooms that were prepped and ready. Very dirty. Toured emergency room. Lots of pics on twitter under medicalangels. I also took lots of pics with regular camera. Arline and karen also shocked at conditions. Dr vulcain told us stories of him amputating on kitchen tables without good instruments. Saw some children in hospital that were crushed by earthquake. Really scary that people live like this. They really need all the help they can get.

Tomorrow
We leave at 8 to try to get to docks. If we can't get equipment back we are trying to hire a boat to bring it back along the coast and we will unload it from small baot if necessary. Anyway I will update tomorrow. Check out twitter. Also trying to get pics on flickr. Medicalangels on flickr

That's it for now

Haiti Day 2. March 25, 2010
We started out traveling with dr vulcain and arly from justinian hospital and u of miami early this morning. We took a path that really can't be called a road over the mountain. After driving thru mud and no real road for about 30 minutes in a pickup truck we came to a mudslide. Road was closed. There was a slide and a big boulder taller then me in the road. We got out and waled around it. On the other side it was either hike or hire a pickup truck to carry us the rest of the way. We hired a truck and road in the outdoor cab of truck for the next 30 minutes winding thru the mountain onunpaved "roads" and switchbacks. There were ditches and signs of mudslides everywhere. A few small impoverished towns along the way.

Labedee royal carribbean
We finally arrived at gates and they didn't want to let us in. Finally after reaching lauren in miami she arranged for us to meet with site manager david scott. He told us it would be awhile til road opened maybe a week. We had all our equipment on the docks. Labadee was like disneyworld. Outside of the gates everyone suffering and inside this beutiful facility. People come in on cruise ship and probably think this is the real Haiti. We tried to figure way to get goods out. We had worked on hiring boats to do it but worried about customs and all tariffs when we got to port in cap hatien. Finally site mgr suggested we take 10 skids of merchandise for ot pt clinic and he will truck them up to mudslide. From there we will carry the goods around boulder and over mudslide and load onto justinian hospital trucks. Better late then never. Hopefully road will be open in few days. Site manager was great. He told me he is running out of gas to keep site open and would like the road to be opened. He has 16000 people per week coming in and needs gas. Anyway he also told me that locals always problem for them. Besides suing him personally they are shooting at the royal carribbean guards sometimes. He can no longer leave site as they want to arrest him.

Docks
We then went and saw all of our supplies on the docks. For haiti with love was there helping. All merchandise made it and we are storing it outside with help of ursala and david scott site manager. We picked out ot pt skids for xport tomarrow.
Lunch
we loaded boats with pallets of supplies for a medical clinic in the real labade that royal carribbean is trying to rebuild. It is only accessable by boat now as roads are destroyed. Clinic was terrible. Need obgyn table. The one they have is filthy dirty. Exam tables are dirty. They are seeing about 50 patients a day. They take care of town of 6000. We have worked a deal with a pharmacist in states. Royal carribbean is paying and we are buying it for them and will ship via royal. Royal carribean is also rebuilding the clinic

Road home
We then clinbed in the back of another pickup with a bunch of locals and drove back to the site of mudslide to find then burning the bolder. They are going to try and make it into charocoal over the next day or so to soften the bolder. Then they will break it up and clear the road. Tommarrow we start at 7 with security back up the mountain to try and carry the goods thru the slide area. Hopefully royal carribean will have its trucks on their side of the mudslide.

That's basically it

Haiti Day 3. March 26, 2010
Picking up in labadee

Well the morning started early about 7. We drove up to site of mudslide. Royal was supposed to have trucks ther by 930. We went up with arly in a pickup truck and a large box truck. We met pressime and our security at the rock in "road". Pressime was an interesting character. He is a federal police officer married to founder of For Haiti with Love. He had 2 other officers with him and is a bit of a cowboy. Unlike any police I have seen he carries his gun in his waistband of his uniform pants. All the locals seem to know him. He told me there used to be 282 police officers in cap but now about 40 if I understood correctly. They don't even carry walkie talkies. So I rode in back of open pickup with him and 2 other officers down to the dock because royal trucks weren't there. When we got there ursala from royal was just leaving to meet us with 2 big trucks. We followed them back. I was happy to have the security with us as we had to travel thru a pretty dangerous place that they have lost supply trucks too.

The slide
By the time we got back to the boulder in road there had been another slide. We back the trucks up to the slide and backed the trucks on the other side up to the slide and began carrying all the skids of supplies across the slide area. The locals helped us whike security watched to make sure nothing was stolen. After about 2 hours of moving it was time to pay the locals. Pressime paid about 20 of them 40 dollars that I had given him. Apparently 1 guy took all of it and a small riot was brewing. Lots of screaming and yelling until presime and other officers found the guy and stripped him of the money. Pressime handed out the money but they were still not happy. He told us to leave and they would take care of the crowd. As we were trying to leave another truck has us blocked in. The driver was drunk but after 15 minutes or so we got him to move. A local let us know he was a bad drunk.

Clinic
We arrived at clinic and had another group of locals who helped us unload trucks. We were in a gated area otherwise I would think we would have lost some of the supplies. We unloaded and set up the clinic. After having to build exam tables and stuff with no tools we realized we were missing things. Karen and I decided to head back to royal to get missing stuff including paralel bars that are 10 feet long

Ride back to royal
I spole to jordana in ny who called lauren in miami who call ursala in laberde to let them know we were coming. It had rained in the mountains so roads we're muddy and ugly. We finally got past site of latest slides only to come across half trees in road etc. Also on the way up to the mountain we got into small car accident. We hit a taxi but only the two cars were scratched up. Everyone was fine. As we arrived at the dock I received word from jordana in nj that there is a problem. John block from the ship explorer of the seas had emailed a few minutes earlier and said they missed 1 30foot long skid and left it on the ship. The problem was the ship was halfway to bayonne already. So not to waste the trip we took 10 foot parallel bars from another shipment we had at dock. They were used but better thennothing. We loaded the pickup amd arly and I sat in the open cab and held the supplies in the truck. Back thru the bad area with 2 of us and no security. We finally got to clinic and set the rest up. The clinic is now basically built and ready to go. It was a crazy day

Dinner
We ate with dr vucain in a local place. They seem to be having electricity problems tonight as lights in whole city go out for short 5-10 minute spurts. Wild to see whole city go dark

Tomarrow
We are going to see For Haiti With Love. Supposedly they are in much worse shape then justinian hospital. Pressime will collect us ib morning. We will see their hospital and orphange. Til tomarrow good night

Remember to follow us on twitter. We are sending pics of everything. Follow medicalangels on twitter

Haiti Day 4. March 27, 2010
We got picked up by pressime and rosalyn at 8 this morning in an open box truck. Pressime is the police commander and is also running For Haiti With Love with his wife. He took us on about a 20 minute drive to the For Haiti with Love clinic and facility. There were a few hundred people waiting in line when we arrived. It was protected by armed guards and barb wire fencing. We took a tour of the facility which had a big star of David on the outside of it. It was started by rosalyns father who was Jewish. We saw the area where the burn victims are treated. Justinian hospital sends many patients to them for burn care. They only have nurses there no doctors yet they still operate. Conditions are really rough. Hopefully everyone saw the pics of the clinic. It is powered by 24 car batteries with some type of converter. He also has a generator there. He also showed us rooms where volunteers could stay. They were actually ok. He has 3 rooms 2 beds per room and also has mattress that can be used on floor. We toured and saw all the supplies (11 skids) that we donated. He also had lots of rice and beans people donated from the states. He told us a lot of burn people come to him just with gauze on their burns which means when they unwrap it it opens up wounds again. Since earthquake his volume has doubled for medical care. He has 2 nurses but needs all the help he can get. He needs extra batteries, flooring, beds, paperbags, and medical guaze, antiseptic, and anything else u can imagine. We then helped distribute food. She has a card system that u come in and get your card stamped 3 times a week for food. Additionally they give out hygien kits. After 500 or so people with cards get there food they randomly give out food to other people at the gates. There were hundreds of people climbing or trying to climb the gates for food. They told us a lot were from port au prince just trying to survive on minimal food they can afford to spare for them. They also have another area where mothers and young babies waait and they distribute formula and diapers for them. They told me every can of dry formula is opened so it can't be resold by the mothers. It was really sad. They also provide basic medical care for them. It was really incrediable to see. We were there for a few hours listening to their needs which is a lot.

We also looked thru their medical supplies we have sent. They sidtribute the wheelchairs and walkers etc to area hospitals who aren't getting aid from foriegners. we also saw a bone cutting machine they use for amputating. Remeber there are only nurses here. I didn't even ask about it as it looked as if they had used it
.
Afterwards we got in back of truck again for a 40 minute journey thru one of the worst slums I have ever seen. Again not poverty but really a living hell. We passed markets of used clothing. They were selling rice for 1.25 dollars per cup. Lots of arguing and misery on the streets in the main square of this slum. We finally arrived in another area where the orphange was. It was a cement shell. 30 or so children live there. Armed guards watch the building. One room housed 16 girls 2 per bed ages 4-12. They seemed happy as they sang and danced. We have great video of this. Pressime and rosalyn showed us around. They need bunkbeds and clothing. We brought some clothing donations from polo. The girls were thrilled to get clothing. They all share clothing and nothing goes to waste. When one grows out of it the next takes it. There are no closets or bathrooms. They go outside to use bathroom in a bucket with ahole in ground. Horrible living conditions. I talked to them about mattresses and whayt happens when thye are done. They said they also give them away to others who need them. Most have mosqito nets but many don't have sheets. They desparately need sheets. A few of the children were from port au prince earthquake. One of them doesn't speak anymore because so traumatized by losing her family in quake. Very sad but they did seem happy. Within the orphanage they habe a school and church. School is a blackboard but they desparately need school supplies and chairs. They sit on dirt floor. All girls shower daily with a bucket in a private area. We stayed and they ate lunch. It was rice beans and meat and veggies. They get 3 meals a day. Night is light meal of porridge donated by john block art auctioneer of royal carribean. Overall they seemed happy but no toys or swings all of which things they are looking for.

We then went with all the girls to see a plot of land they want to purchas. They want 25k for the land but probably take 10k for it. It is much bigger and easier living. Right now they pay 3000 per year for their current space. Their current space is a cement block building. Kithen is 3 pots over 3 charcoal fires. A house mom sleeps inthe rooms with the girls and they are protected by a guard. It is a slum but everybody knows pressime and loves him as we walked thru the neighberhood. If I wasn't with him I would never go thru this neighborhood. I still was glad he had a gun in his waistband.

Next we went around the corner to pressime and rosalyns residence. It is under construction. They live there with his twins who were in port au prince for the earthquake. They also have an adopted son Samuel who was left on their porch by someone when he was roughly 6 months old. He is now about 2. They don't know exactly how old or where he came from. Oh yeah and he has 18 older girls living in the house with them. It is equivalent of a 3 bedroom house. At this point all the girls from the other orphange were at this house as well. There were 48 kids in this house with us. These people are saints. I couldn't do it. Rosalyn picks them all up and they all hug and kiss both of them. The youngest in the house is 1 year old. He is being adopted by someone in the states but his older sister who is 6 doesn't know it yet.

Next they took us on another journey for an hour in back of truck to millot to see Sacre couer hospital. This is a rough ride in the hot sun standing. Lots of no roads just dirt. Much of roads destroyed. Sacre Couer is considered one of the more modern hospitals. Many american doctors passing thru. This is where the O2 generator that sam shipped for holy name hosputal was. They built a special concrete room for it so it would stay in tact. We toured the icu which was still nothing like an american hospital. Met with the medical director and talked of needs list. He took us to the refugee camp area. Apparently hundreds of wounded flown in by UN helicopters after the quake and med director has ordered there discharge. Unfortunately they have no where to go as some are even children that came without parents so they set up this "camp". It was compassionate of this director to do this. He doesn't want to send people away as they have nowhere left to go during rainy season. We then toured what looked like the tv show MASH units. There were about 5 long tents where we met many child amputees. Kids 4 and up without limbs. We also toured birth unit in a tent etc. They seemed to be the best organized organization and we saw many doctors from america. We met teams from ohio, vermont, st barnabis in livingston and many others. When I was leaving the bathroom they had just rushed in a girl who had a head ruptured open and part of face crushed. They seemed to be very compassionate as I watched them work on this poor local girl. The med director had to go to help so I found my way out and met rest of group outside

As it rained we got back in the open trucks and road about an hour or longer back to motel. I needed cash but the banks are closed so pressime went to a part of town where there were guys on street with huge wads of cash just exchanging money on street. He said it was common for the banks don't always have money to exchange.

Anyway it was very tough day to see all this. The kids were really sad but what For Haiti With Love people do is amazing. It is so selfless what they are doing. Pressime and his wife are amazing. I didn't mention on sundays he allows anyone to come into the church at orphange and feeds everyone that comes.

Tomarrow we are seeing another hospital, going back to PT room and may possibly going to port au prince

Please remeber to follow us on twitter. Follow medicalangels.

First OT/PT Clinic

Burn Advocates Network in partnership with Medical Angels, University of Miami School of Medicine and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines Ltd. has created the first Occupational and Physical Therapy Clinic in all of Haiti. The clinic is set to open in April and will be located in Justinian Hospital in Cap Haitien Haiti. Many burn survivors are in desperate need of OT and PT due to burn injuries and amputations. Without these services amputees will not be eligible for prosthesis. Our team (Jim Ressler Founder of Medical Angels, Karen and Arlene, PT and OT professionals) has arrived in Haiti and are settling into their hotel in Cap Haitien. Tomorrow, they will travel to Labadee to the RCCL dock to help unload over 60 pallets of OT/PT equipment and other supplies. Thank you to all our generous donors (I am in the process of compiling a list of everyone who has helped us accomplish this enormous task). The OT/PT clinic will be set up during the teams visit, and we are hoping to have a grand opening in mid-April. Pictures to follow. Keep up to date on our progress and the teams trip by visiting us here daily!

Col David Renz, M.D. FACS

Col David Renz confers with Samuel Davis about creating
the first burn facility for Haiti at the American Burn Association annual meeting in Boston. Dr Renz's army hospital and disaster management experience provides important insights about the challenges of Haiti's burn survivors. There are currently no facilities at which even basic skin grafting is performed in a country of 10 million .

Clinton Foundation Roundtable March 9, 2010

After meeting with President Clinton and the CEOs of the other NGOs which are providing 80% of the relief to Haiti, Sam Davis and Michel Dodard, M.D. University Of Miami Haiti Project discuss the logistics for creating a Physical and Occupational Therapy Department at Justinian Hospital in Sacre Couer. The need for P.T. has increased 20 fold since the earthquake. Even those with leg amputations need therapy or risk losing the ability to transition to prosthetic limbs. Shipment of equipment will be made om March 19th aboard Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Seas. The center is slated to open in April.

Burn Advocates Network President Samuel Davis with Soledad O'Brien of CNN with BAN Haiti Relief Coordinator Jordana Berger and Michael Maron CEO of Holy Name Medical Center at dedication and send off for the Holy Name Medical Team headed to Sacre Couer Hospital

First OT/PT Clinic in Haiti

Burn Advocates Network is working with Medical Angels to start the first OT/PT clinic in Haiti. This letter gives us the go ahead for our project. Very exciting news! Our next shipment leaves March 19, 2010 from Bayonne, NJ on the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines Explorer of the Seas. With that shipment will be the OT/PT equipment to start our clinic.

The Record February 27 2010

Video detailing our work in Northern Haiti

Here is a link to a video on our work. Many of the pictures were taken by our founder Samuel Davis, while he was on the ground in Haiti. Our partnership with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines Ltd. has been a life saving effort. Our next shipment leaves Bayonne on February 26th! Keep checking our blog for further updates.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1l3IoP3YAo

Adam Goldstein, CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines Ltd. has recognized Burn Advocates Network for their Haiti relief efforts on his blog. For more details please visit:www.nationofwhynot.com/blog

If you are interested in learning more about our work please contact Jordana Berger jordana@burnadvocates.org or Jenni and Leslie West jenni@burnadvocates.org.

Thank you for all of your support. We are looking forward to our February 26th shipment of supplies to Haiti. With your help we can save lives.

Warm Regards,
Jordana Berger
Haiti Relief Coordinator
Burn Advocates Network

Samuel Davis- Thoughts From Sea

Thanks to the generosity of Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines Ltd. I am currently aboard the Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas on my way back from delivering medical supplies to the For Haiti with Love Burn Clinic (the clinic). The Clinic is located only 4.5 miles from Labadee, Haiti a port of call for many Royal Caribbean cruises. I personally delivered over 50 pallets of medical supplies and 15 pallets of food and clothing in addition to 200 mattresses and bedding and transportation donated by Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines Ltd.

With the precise teamwork of the Explorer’s crew and ground logistics team, the entire shipment made it safely off the two piers used to consolidate the nearly 60,000 pounds of aid. After a one hour convoy we reached our destination. Not a single package damaged, delayed, or diverted.

“From Dock to Doctor” in 6 days!

I met with the directors of the clinic to further assess their needs for equipment and supplies. After meeting with the directors of the clinic, we went to Justinian Hospital ( run by the government of Haiti ). At Justinian, we met with Dr. Andre Voltain Chief of Medicine and Dr. Jean- Gracia Coq , Chief of Surgery. They had just stabilized and airlifted two pediatric big burn cases to Shriners Hospital in Boston. In addition to lacking an oxygen generator for their three hundred plus patients, the Justinian’s only OR X-ray machine, a beat up C Arm, had been down for over weeks. The clinic and Justinian Hospital are both in desperate need of money and medical supplies.

Many wounded refugees from Port-au-Prince who migrated North for medical care are sleeping on the ground. Starvation seems to be only days away. A young orthopedic surgeon from Maine made the best of the primitive operating room at Justinian Hospital despite a lack of orthopedic hardware and devices. He expressed frustration about how many more patients’ limbs could be salvaged if there was an oxygen generator in the hospital. BAN is exploring ways to get one delivered.

Our partnership with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines Ltd. is proving an effective force in saving lives and combating suffering. Every pallet we send saves at least one life. We have two more major shipments to North Haiti planned within the next month.

www.haitiburnsurvivors.org

Englewood Orthopedics Donates Supplies

Drs Ann Miller, Rick Salzer, and Brian Cole of Englewood Orthopedics help Sam Davis send off several pallets of orthopedic supplies they and their patients donated. Burn Advocates Network delivered over 6,000 crutches, wheelchairs and much needed orthopedic supplies for casting and a cast cutter to two hospitals caring for Haiti Earthquake casualties.

Orphans at Haitien Gymnasium Clinic

These two brothers were not concerned about the medecines and crutches we brought to this makeshift refuge. They did appreciate the duffelbag full of toys and pallet of clothing. Everything they own fits into a shoebox. They will later learn that they can share one of the mattresses donated by Royal Caribbean and not sleep on the concrete.

We are proud to announce that our President and founder of the Israel Burn Camp for Children(IBCC) and the Burn Advocates Network (BAN), Sam Davis is on his way to Haiti with 56,000 pounds of medical supplies for the "For Haiti with Love" burn clinic. It is with no small thanks form Royal Caribbean that this shipment was made possible. The cruise line donated the space and means of transporting the medical supplies to the port in Labadee. This will gaurentee that all the aid goes directly tothe clinic and local hospital without all the red tape at the Port au Prince airport.

We are still collecting donations at participating drop off points, and will be making our second shipment via Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines of Feb. 26th, 2010.

Fair Lawn Jewish Center

Donations are still pouring into to Fair Lawn Jewish Center, among many other drop off points. The families and children from Fair Lawn Jewish Center have already donated 3 pallets worth of medical supplies and I just received an email from our dear friend Dr. Ritchard Rosen that there are over 3000 peices of medical supplies to be picked up for the next shipment headed out on Feb 24th on Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Sea.

We are so proud of these young men and woman who helped gather the donations and load them in the truck. They seemed to welcome the distraction from class, as the Rabbi had granted the youngsters a repreive from Hebrew School to help us load up. One of the younsters even took a minute of his free time to imitate my husband, (Leslie West) with his own rendition of "Mississippi Queen".

Thank you so much! Keep of the good work!