Dedicated to Hospital of Hope, Pilate, Hait
Print version (PDF 859 Ko) Walk of Hope
Afterwards, she delivered a short speech describing the mission of the hospital as well as its adjusting to its newly added mandate of treating HIV/AIDS patients. She concluded by thanking the foundation its continual support which has aided in the modernization of Hospital of Hope. Seizing the moment, our President, Fr. Robert Charron, presented Sr. Louisa with a check of $3,000, symbolizing the foundation’s continual effort in supporting this cause. A third visit from our chairman
Financial Statements Preliminary 2007 financial statements of the Foundation show total revenues of $18,904. Operating expenses are at a record low ($287 or 1.6% of collected sums), thanks to institutional sponsors supplying paper and ink. The Foundation sent $13,100 to the hospital, and added $3,000 to it’s emergency fund. This latter amount might be needed within a short while, as the useful life span of the hospital’s ambulance is reaching its end. Hospital of Hope has already started budgeting for the replacement of its ambulance. Postal fund raising campaign Thanks to our treasurer, Alain Charron, and our Webmaster, Louis Paré, the Foundation , by means of it’s annual postal fund raising campaign, raised $8,500, surpassing the previous year’s efforts by $1,100. The donators generosity somehow rewards the excellence of management at Hospital of Hope under direction of three sisters of Holy Cross. Website Renovation During Spring 2007, Mr. Louis Paré, our Webmaster, spent much time to reorganize the Foundation’s Website. The aim was to facilitate quick access to all the pages of the site for all visitors. Holiday Season Wish Card
Fighting HIV/AIDS
Professional requirements are also necessary to the success of the program. That is why much emphasis has been put into specific training supplied by specialized organizations acting in Haiti.
The Hill of Hope
Doctors of the World Better safety throughout Haiti has permitted a team from Doctors of the World to reach Pilate in March for an intensive surgical session. Over 100 surgical operations in 10 days were completed, thus serving a destitute population that otherwise would not have been treated. Aid from France Friendship and Medical Action for Haiti (FMAH), an association of volunteers that fosters many children at school in Pilate, kept on paying the salary of two night shift nurses working at the Hospital of Hope, allowing the Sisters a much deserved rest. Dr. Granier and Dr. Bouron, founders of FMAH, came to Pilate to give a helping hand at the Emergency Room and at the External Clinic. Then, Dr. Dombriz, president of Friends of Sr. Madeleine, an association of volunteers based in Bordeaux, joined the team of Doctors of the World and brought precious help at the pediatric department. Local initiative A possible sign of progress? In line with a long tradition of cooperation between Hospital of Hope in Pilate and Justinian Hospital in Cap Haitian, the ophthalmologists of the latter institution went to Pilate to offer free eye examinations. 420 patients have been examined, showing a high number of pathologies. It has therefore been decided to offer to the population of Pilate a monthly eye clinic in 2008.
Real success
The ambulance
Child trade and labor
|
Due to unfavorable weather only 55 participants showed up on September 15th for the 9th edition of the Walk of Hope (70 the previous year). Despite this turn-out, sponsorships (including that in USD) totaled $3,850 topping the previous year’s collection by $520. This benevolence has contributed to the enlargement of the residence for the health and medical professionals (see Real success in the next section of this report). For the first time since the annual Walk of Hope has been held, one of the hospital’s directors, Sr. Louisa Bélanger, originally form Barraute in Abitibi (Quebec), joined the Walk.
In January, for the third consecutive year, the Chairman of the Byas Foundation, Fr. Robert Charron, went to the community of Pilate in Haiti in order to get an update on the on-going development of the Hospital of Hope. Through its financial contributions, the Foundation supported the successful outcome at that hospital, thanks to the generosity of more than 300 people in Canada and the United-States. During his stay, Fr. Charron took a series of photos, attesting to the hospital’s transformations and expansion during the past decade. Among these, we note the new 60 kW generator, the renovated kitchen with its new gas stoves (replacing the old charcoal cooking units), new sanitary facilities (latrines), it’s new efficient filing system of medical records, as well as the totally renovated operating room etc. All these photos may be seen on the Foundation’s website.
A suggestion from an American friend of the Foundation inspired it’s Board to create a virtual holiday season wish card to express special thanks to all it’s donors listed with their given e-mail address. Nearly 150 people were greeted that way. The Foundation hopes to reach more people next year.
Much of the efforts of the Hospital of Hope has been directed towards the ongoing fight with AIDS; a plague that is a menace to all the population, but especially to its youth. The hospital’s main fields of action are :
Hospital of Hope sits on top of a hill separated from the town by a creek that carved a small valley. Once the bridge crossed, the road to the hospital climbs a rather steep hill up to its entrance gate. During the rainy season, the ambulance often got stuck in the clay soil. That is why in 1995, a double strip of concrete was laid, allowing the ambulance a full access to the hospital at all times. Now, this «Hill of Hope» [Montée de l’Espérance] needs maintenance and some important repairs of damage caused by heavy rains, namely hurricane Jeanne in 2004.
To counter the housing shortage in Pilate, the Hospital of Hope achieved considerable success in enlarging the residence of its health professionals. Among these are: dentist, medical doctors working on the HIV/AIDS program, pharmacist, specialized nurses etc. The completed project cost $ 188,233 and the house can now conveniently accommodate 18 persons with its nine bedrooms, five bathrooms, kitchen, meeting room, computer room etc.
After 8 years of rough service the useful lifespan of the hospital’s ambulance is coming to it’s end. Hospital of Hope, with the help of Bombardier Foundation, has started a fund dedicated to buy a new ambulance in the near future.
Most extreme poverty of some families in Haiti sometimes leads to giving up children by selling them to other families in the Dominican Republic where they then work as domestic servants. There are humanitarian organizations that get to buy back some of those children and care to rehabilitate them in their original social setting.