For those of us who live in an area where healthcare is readily available, it is almost unimaginable that we would not be able to access the care we need with nothing more than a phone call, some scheduled time out of the office and, perhaps, some out-of-pocket expenses.
In many areas of Haiti, however, finding a doctor who will treat you is a much more challenging endeavor. This past month, the Healing Art Missions’ team met Marie* who had to make a long, difficult journey to find the care she desperately needed.
Marie, an 83-year-old woman from Les Irois, Haiti, had been suffering with a parotid gland mass that distorted her jawline for some time. Parotid gland masses don’t typically cause pain, but as you can see in the photo, the extreme size of Marie’s mass caused a lot of discomfort, and it impacted her activities of daily living.
Marie was desperate to find help, but there were no local physicians who would take her case. She sought out many doctors, but all of them turned her down.
Marie heard that Dr. Jacques’ and the Mobile Medical Team of Healing Art Missions were performing surgeries in Port Salut, so she paid someone to take her four hours by motorcycle to ask for their help.
When Marie arrived in Port Salut, the HAM team was, unfortunately, preparing to depart for Miragoane and there was no one on-site who could administer anesthesia for her complex surgery. Dr. Jacques recognized, however, that she needed help, so he offered for her to travel with them on their three hour journey to Miragoâne in HAM’s truck. She accepted.
Once at Ste. Therese Hospital, Dr. Jacques skillfully removed the mass from Marie’s jawline. As you can see in the post-op photo, the surgery was a success and the change is dramatic. Marie was so grateful that she told Dr. Jacques that she “has her life back” and can now go back to church without the discomfort and embarrassment of the parotid mass.
People like Marie, who need complex medical care in Haiti, are struggling to access the care they need. Physicians will turn them away because they don’t want to take the risk, or because the patient cannot pay. In Haiti’s southern peninsula, Dr. Jacques and the Mobile Medical Team have developed a reputation as a group of highly skilled professionals who can successfully treat the patients that others turn away.
Healing Art Missions remains committed to providing healthcare to the people of Haiti during this difficult time and regardless of their ability to pay. Success stories, like Marie’s, are possible thanks to the support of our generous donors.
*Marie is a pseudonym to protect the patient’s identity.