Monday, October 25, 2010

Hi Atiim,
View their work and voice your support
As Director of Communications, I am based in Partners In Health's Boston office. Like you, I often rely on our colleagues on the ground in Haiti to hear the latest updates.

This morning I took a moment to look back through many of the pictures that have come across my desk in the past 12 months. In every photo, the resilience of our Haitian colleagues -- every one of whom has experienced the loss of a parent, child, sibling or dear friend -- is overwhelmingly apparent.

And today, it's clear to see that we've made a real impact in Haiti. Thanks to your donations and the hard work of our colleagues on the ground, Haiti's story has become more than a tale of tragedy -- it has become a story of hope and dignity against all odds.

Take a look at these photos to see what we have achieved together -- and then leave a note of support for the men and women doing this vital work.

http://pih.org/send-a-message 

Zanmi Lasante, PIH's Haitian sister organization, and its 4,000 Haitian staff played an integral role in rapid response efforts in the days and weeks after the earthquake. Your support also helped us to maintain a constant presence on the ground. To date we have treated over 200,000 patients at PIH clinics in spontaneous settlements, and we've more than doubled our mental health team staff to 70. And as we continue to serve those in need, we've redoubled our efforts on important long-term projects that will improve public health in Haiti for years to come.

Some of those projects are large, like the new 320-bed teaching hospital we're building in Mirebalais. Others are of a smaller scale -- like our work with a young woman named Carmene whose legs had to be amputated after a wall collapsed on her during the earthquake.

Doctors from PIH and our partners at Hopital Albert Schweitzer fitted Carmene for new prosthetic legs two months after the quake. Now, she has joined the rebuilding effort herself. Hired by Zanmi Lasante as a Community Health Worker, she supports the mental and physical rehabilitation of other patients with disabilities.

Carmene's story is just one among hundreds of thousands in Haiti. But it illustrates the real difference that we've made day in and day out thanks to the support of people like you.

Every day our Haitian colleagues are at work serving their community. Please take a moment to see how much progress they've made and leave them a word of support -- we'll be sending all of your messages to our team in Haiti.

http://pih.org/send-a-message 

Thank you so much for getting involved with Partners In Health and Zanmi Lasante. I feel deeply, deeply proud of our work -- and so should you.

With profound thanks,

Andrew Marx
Director of Communications