Hanger Orthopedic Group, Bethesda, Maryland, and its philanthropic organization, the Hanger Ivan R. Sabel Foundation, announced the launch of the Haitian Amputee Coalition, an initiative in partnership with Physicians for Peace, the Harold & Kayrita Anderson Family Foundation, and Donald Peck Leslie, MD, of the Shepherd Center, Atlanta, Georgia. The Haitian Amputee Coalition plans to create a long-term prosthetic and rehabilitation center on-site at the Hôpital Albert Schweitzer (HAS), an undamaged local hospital with a high clinical reputation located 60 miles from Port-au-Prince in Deschapelles, Haiti.
Photographs by Jay Fletcher, www.haiti-earthquake.us
“Consistent with the mission of the Hanger Ivan R. Sabel Foundation to improve human mobility through sustainable clinical care in the U.S. and abroad, the emphasis of the Haitian Amputee Coalition’s efforts in Haiti will be on creating a long-term, sustainable program of medical care, training, education, and supplies,” said Ivan Sabel, chairman of the Hanger Ivan R. Sabel Foundation.
The Haitian Amputee Coalition prosthetic and rehabilitation center at HAS will be functional by the end of February and will be staffed by U.S. prosthetic experts from Hanger Orthopedic Group and Physicians for Peace in conjunction with local Haitian medical professionals. More than 8,000 lb. of prosthetic-fabrication equipment and machinery have been shipped to Deschapelles with an additional 5,000 lb. scheduled to arrive in the third week of February. A mobile prosthetic-care unit donated by Otto Bock HealthCare, Duderstadt, Germany, will enable the delivery of care to those who are unable to be transported to HAS.
“The magnitude of the human mobility tragedy in Haiti is staggering,” Hanger President and CEO Tom Kirk, PhD, said. “As the largest prosthetic and orthotic patient care provider in the United States, we feel an obligation to extend our clinical expertise and resources to help the people of Haiti. With partners such as Physicians for Peace and Dr. Leslie, as well as the highly regarded Hôpital Albert Schweitzer, we are confident we can restore mobility and functionality to a significant number of amputees in Haiti.”
Hanger practice manager and recipient of the Hanger Excellence Award for Clinical Leadership John “Jay” Tew, CP, from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has volunteered to serve a three-month term at HAS as lead prosthetist for the coalition’s patient care delivery. Additionally, the Haitian Amputee Coalition plans to create a training program to educate local Haitians to become prosthetics practitioners and technicians for the provision of long-term care in Haiti.
“For years, HAS has been recognized for its advanced medical care, providing critical services to the rural populations of Haiti,” HAS Managing Director Ian Rawson said. “We believe our excellent clinical capabilities will only be enhanced through a partnership with Dr. Leslie and the prosthetic experts of Hanger Orthopedic Group.”
The development of the Haitian Amputee Coalition formalizes Haiti relief efforts that are already underway by Hanger Orthopedic Group and the Hanger Ivan R. Sabel Foundation. To date, Hanger and its foundation have donated $415,000 in funding and orthopedic devices to assist with the medical needs of those affected by the earthquake in Haiti. A direct cash donation of $25,000 and a contribution of $390,000 in orthopedic devices, including neck and back braces, limb immobilizers, fracture boots, wrist splints, and cervical collars were donated in late January to two nonprofit organizations currently operating in Haiti-Physicians for Peace and Project HOPE (Health Opportunities for People Everywhere).
At Hanger’s annual Education Fair in Reno, Nevada, held February 3-6, the foundation also raised an additional $240,000 in cash donations from Hanger employees, patients, O&P manufacturers, and other business partners. In January, Hanger and the Haitian Amputee Coalition donated and delivered more than 3,000 compression garments for immediate application to promote healing of residual limbs on new amputees in Haiti and more than 5,000 booklets translated into the Haitian Creole language that explain and visually display basic physical therapy exercises for new amputees. Additionally, Hanger’s more than 670 patient care centers nationwide are serving as collection sites for a prosthetic limb drive to benefit amputees in Haiti, in conjunction with Physicians for Peace and charity campaigner Heather Mills.
For more information, visit www.haitian-amputee-coalition.org To donate or to volunteer expertise in Haiti, visit www.hanger-sabelfoundation.org
