STAND with Dr. Chris

Hello!

As​ ​some​ ​of​ ​you​ ​may​ ​know, I​ ​am​ ​headed​ ​to​ ​Haiti​ ​this​ ​May (May 17 – June 2) with​ ​a​ ​group​ ​called​ ​STAND: The​ ​Haiti​ ​Project. STAND​ ​(Sustainable​ ​Therapy​ ​And​ ​New​ ​Development)​ ​is​ ​a​ ​Physical Therapy​ ​driven​ ​multidisciplinary​ ​team​ ​that provides​ ​life​ ​changing​ ​care​ ​in​ ​an​ ​environment​ ​unlike​ ​any​ ​most​ ​have​ ​ever​ ​seen:​ ​Northwest​ ​Haiti. Volunteer​ ​teams​ ​consisting​ ​of​ ​Physical​ ​Therapists, ​ ​Orthotists, ​ ​Prosthetists, ​ ​general​ ​medical​ ​staff, and​ ​students​ ​work​ ​very​ ​hard​ ​to​ ​deliver​ ​rehabilitative​ ​care​ ​to​ ​those​ ​in​ ​need, ​and​ ​always​ ​to​ ​the highest​ ​standard. And​ ​this​ ​round​ ​is​ ​going​ ​to​ ​include​ ​me!

I​ ​have​ ​learned​ ​that​ ​the​ ​population​ ​in​ ​this​ ​region​ ​is​ ​completely​ ​underserved​ ​and​ ​has​ ​very​ ​limited (if​ ​any) ​access​ ​to​ ​healthcare​ ​of​ ​all​ ​types. I’m​ ​certain​ ​these​ ​weeks​ ​will​ ​be​ ​amazing​ ​and deeply​ ​moving. I​ ​have​ ​been​ ​assured​ ​that​ ​we​ ​will​ ​work​ ​our​ ​tails​ ​off​ ​and​ ​be​ ​amazed​ ​at how​ ​much​ ​we​ ​can​ ​help​ ​these​ ​people, via​ ​hands​ ​on​ ​treatment, functional training, education, and information. I​ ​could​ ​go​ ​on, but​ ​the​ ​objective​ ​of​ ​this​ ​​is​ ​not​ ​necessarily​ ​to​ ​regale​ ​you​ ​with​ ​tales about​ ​the​ ​need​ ​in​ ​Haiti.

In​ ​May, ​I​ ​am​ ​going​ ​to volunteer​ ​my​ ​time​ ​and​ ​skills​ ​in​ ​Port-de-Paix,​ ​Haiti;​ ​and​ ​it's​ ​expensive! The​ ​trip​ ​cost​ ​total​ ​will​ ​be​ ​between​ ​$2,000 – $2,400. Don't​ ​get​ ​me​ ​wrong, ​I'm already​ ​signed​ ​up. ​I​ ​think​ ​this​ ​is​ ​really​ ​important​ and vital to so many, for so many reasons, ​and​ ​I​ ​don't​ ​undervalue this​ ​group's​ ​impact​ ​for​ ​a​ ​second.

But​ ​I​ ​wanted​ ​to​ ​ask​ ​for​ ​everyone's​ ​help, ​not​ ​just​ ​in​ ​getting​ ​me​ ​to​ ​Haiti, but​ ​in​ ​allowing​ ​me​ ​to​ ​treat​ ​as​ ​many​ ​people​ ​as​ ​I​ ​can​ ​in​ ​a​ ​loving, compassionate​, effective​ and ethical ​way.

My​ ​goal​ ​is​ ​to​ ​raise​ ​$2,000. Anything​ ​beyond​ ​that​ ​I​ ​will​ ​use​ ​to buy​ ​more​ ​medical​ ​supplies​ ​and​ ​equipment​ ​that​ ​are​ ​so​ ​sorely​ ​needed​ ​in​ ​Haiti, where​ ​there​ ​is​ ​no​ ​access​ ​to​ ​these​ ​things. We're​ ​talking​ ​simple​ ​stuff, like canes​ ​and​ ​walkers, even​ ​shoes, non-latex gloves, vitamins, medical creams, antacids/digestive aids, etc. Every​ ​little​ ​bit​ ​counts.

Please​ ​feel​ ​free​ ​to​ ​forward​ ​this​ ​to anyone​ ​else​ ​you​ ​feel​ ​would​ ​be​ ​interested​ ​in​ ​supporting​ ​me​ ​or​ ​donating medical​ ​equipment!

Thanks​ ​in​ ​advance, from​ ​me​, STAND, and​ ​the​ ​amazing​ ​people​ ​of​ ​Haiti!

Much​ ​love, ​ ​​​​​

Dr. Chris Kish, PT