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Nelson, 3 years old
July 29, 2010
Greetings!
There are times when the Good Samaritan Hospital needs your help for one of our patients and today is that day! In fact, there are two children who urgently need care and I am asking for your prayers and finances to help them on their journey to healthy lives. Please read further to discover how you may serve them from afar!
Crooked legs
Angelica, 2 years old
Angelica is an energetic 2-year old girl who we met in a mobile health clinic in her batey, Santonio, near Cacata. Her mother brought her in to be consulted for the normal cough and cold that most children's parents complain of, but it was obvious that she also had another problem with her legs.
We referred who to one of the Good Samaritan Hospital's orthopedists, Dr. Herrerra, who then referred her to the C.U.R.E. Foundation in Santo Domingo. When they evaluated her there, they agreed that they could do surgery on both legs for the cost of $14,000 pesos. This comes out to about $390 US dollars. The visiting team from Wallingford, CT was able to give money for her initial visit to C.U.R.E. as well as transportation costs. The mother even raised $4,000 pesos, herself, for the surgery but we are still $10,000 pesos or about $277 dollars short. This will cover the cost of surgery on both legs. C.U.R.E. let her know that as soon as she had the money together, they would schedule her surgery.
Wouldn't you love to see her run and play with the other kids and grow without the difficulty of curved legs? PLEASE help us give her that opportunity by donating funds for her care. You may send donations to (specify "Care for Angelica"):
Good Samaritan Mission Council
800-126 Main Street
Holden, MA 01520
OR
Make a PayPal donation online at: www.laromana.org. When selecting a category for the donation, you may choose Charity Care.
Lean on me
Nelson, 3 years old
Back in February of this year, a mobile medical clinic from the Good Samaritan Hospital saw Nelson during a visit to Palo Bonito, a batey near Higuey and about 45 minutes from the Good Samaritan Hospital. Nelson had a mass over his dorsal spine as well as scars on his right flank from an "abscess." He was unable to walk upright but rather walked while leaning on his knees. The team referred him to the Good Samaritan Hospital and told his mother to ask for Kristy.
During this time, I was making trips back and forth to Haiti. The day that the mother came to the clinic, I was in Haiti so when she heard I wasn't there, she left without a consultation and returned to her batey. Fast forward to three weeks ago... I was working with the Wallingford, CT team in a mobile clinic in Palo Bonito. Friend and colleague, Debbie Malloy, NP, called me over to her bench to co-consult on a patient and here was Nelson! When the mother heard my name, she smiled and said, "I went to see you in February but you weren't there!" She explained about the previous referral and I remembered someone telling me about the case of a young child who walked while leaning on his knees. We told her that she needed to come and see us very soon so that we could find out what was wrong with Nelson's back. She explained that it cost her $1000 pesos (about $30 US) just for transportation. Debbie had donated funds for just such a need and was able to give the mother, now 8 months pregnant, money to be evaluated at the Good Samaritan Hospital.
Dr. Herrerra also saw this patient and referred them onto the C.U.R.E. Foundation for care. We sent them with x-rays of the spine and money for transportation. Then we waited. Three days ago, I went to go look for Nelson in his batey because we hadn't heard anything. His mother said she didn't have money to go to the hospital anymore so couldn't do anything. C.U.R.E. had asked for several labs to be done but she couldn't pay for those either. And, now she was due to deliver any day. I gave her money from donated funds to come to the hospital the next day so we could do the labs, which included a TB sputum. She came and did all of the labs except the sputum test because Nelson refused to spit! His previous TB test from last year was negative but C.U.R.E. wants a new one.
So, here we are now. We need labs paid for and help for the mother to get to Santo Domingo for follow-up care and possible surgery or expensive treatment. She also has a 4 year old and a 1 year old at home. The hospital has offered a free tubal ligation for the mother but there is also an urgent need to get Nelson the medical attention he needs before any further damage is done to his spine. Will you be the one that Nelson can lean on for support? We need donations of money for continued treatment and many prayers for the family. If you are able to help, please donate online at: www.laromana.org or mail your donation (with a note "Care for Nelson") to:
Good Samaritan Mission Council
800-126 Main Street
Holden, MA 01520
Thank you for your help!
Sincerely,
Kristy Engel
International Ministries, Kristy Engel
Greetings!
There are times when the Good Samaritan Hospital needs your help for one of our patients and today is that day! In fact, there are two children who urgently need care and I am asking for your prayers and finances to help them on their journey to healthy lives. Please read further to discover how you may serve them from afar!
Crooked legs
Angelica, 2 years old
Angelica is an energetic 2-year old girl who we met in a mobile health clinic in her batey, Santonio, near Cacata. Her mother brought her in to be consulted for the normal cough and cold that most children's parents complain of, but it was obvious that she also had another problem with her legs.
We referred who to one of the Good Samaritan Hospital's orthopedists, Dr. Herrerra, who then referred her to the C.U.R.E. Foundation in Santo Domingo. When they evaluated her there, they agreed that they could do surgery on both legs for the cost of $14,000 pesos. This comes out to about $390 US dollars. The visiting team from Wallingford, CT was able to give money for her initial visit to C.U.R.E. as well as transportation costs. The mother even raised $4,000 pesos, herself, for the surgery but we are still $10,000 pesos or about $277 dollars short. This will cover the cost of surgery on both legs. C.U.R.E. let her know that as soon as she had the money together, they would schedule her surgery.
Wouldn't you love to see her run and play with the other kids and grow without the difficulty of curved legs? PLEASE help us give her that opportunity by donating funds for her care. You may send donations to (specify "Care for Angelica"):
Good Samaritan Mission Council
800-126 Main Street
Holden, MA 01520
OR
Make a PayPal donation online at: www.laromana.org. When selecting a category for the donation, you may choose Charity Care.
Lean on me
Nelson, 3 years old
Back in February of this year, a mobile medical clinic from the Good Samaritan Hospital saw Nelson during a visit to Palo Bonito, a batey near Higuey and about 45 minutes from the Good Samaritan Hospital. Nelson had a mass over his dorsal spine as well as scars on his right flank from an "abscess." He was unable to walk upright but rather walked while leaning on his knees. The team referred him to the Good Samaritan Hospital and told his mother to ask for Kristy.
During this time, I was making trips back and forth to Haiti. The day that the mother came to the clinic, I was in Haiti so when she heard I wasn't there, she left without a consultation and returned to her batey. Fast forward to three weeks ago... I was working with the Wallingford, CT team in a mobile clinic in Palo Bonito. Friend and colleague, Debbie Malloy, NP, called me over to her bench to co-consult on a patient and here was Nelson! When the mother heard my name, she smiled and said, "I went to see you in February but you weren't there!" She explained about the previous referral and I remembered someone telling me about the case of a young child who walked while leaning on his knees. We told her that she needed to come and see us very soon so that we could find out what was wrong with Nelson's back. She explained that it cost her $1000 pesos (about $30 US) just for transportation. Debbie had donated funds for just such a need and was able to give the mother, now 8 months pregnant, money to be evaluated at the Good Samaritan Hospital.
Dr. Herrerra also saw this patient and referred them onto the C.U.R.E. Foundation for care. We sent them with x-rays of the spine and money for transportation. Then we waited. Three days ago, I went to go look for Nelson in his batey because we hadn't heard anything. His mother said she didn't have money to go to the hospital anymore so couldn't do anything. C.U.R.E. had asked for several labs to be done but she couldn't pay for those either. And, now she was due to deliver any day. I gave her money from donated funds to come to the hospital the next day so we could do the labs, which included a TB sputum. She came and did all of the labs except the sputum test because Nelson refused to spit! His previous TB test from last year was negative but C.U.R.E. wants a new one.
So, here we are now. We need labs paid for and help for the mother to get to Santo Domingo for follow-up care and possible surgery or expensive treatment. She also has a 4 year old and a 1 year old at home. The hospital has offered a free tubal ligation for the mother but there is also an urgent need to get Nelson the medical attention he needs before any further damage is done to his spine. Will you be the one that Nelson can lean on for support? We need donations of money for continued treatment and many prayers for the family. If you are able to help, please donate online at: www.laromana.org or mail your donation (with a note "Care for Nelson") to:
Good Samaritan Mission Council
800-126 Main Street
Holden, MA 01520
Thank you for your help!
Sincerely,
Kristy Engel
International Ministries, Kristy Engel