I would encourage all healthcare professionals to consider donating some of your time to this worthy cause. You will come back challenged and fulfilled and your services will be greatly appreciated. I met many wonderful, giving volunteers from all over the world including the twin Bitar surgeons while working at Hospital Bernard Mevs/Project Medishare in Haiti. Following is a letter of appreciation I recently received.

Dear Volunteers,

As you are settling back into your life back at home, we would like to express how much we appreciate your coming to Hospital Bernard Mevs/Project Medishare. We realize the work here is challenging and sometimes frustrating, and we hope that you realize how much we truly value your help. Since the earthquake on January 12, 2010, Project Medishare has treated over 180,000 Haitians in need. This could not have been possible without volunteers like you who have given your time, skills, and money. You have helped many more than the handful of people that came to the hospital during your volunteer tour. Equally important, the assistance and knowledge that you have imparted to the nurses, translators and other local staff will allow them to continue in your footsteps long after your stay with us.

Hospital Bernard Mevs/Project Medishare has made some remarkable advances since the merging of the two organizations in June. Now, we have the Spinal Cord/Rehab unit fully staffed by only local Haitian nurses who are able to provide all nursing care independently. The nurses who staff the ICU are learning to be able to negotiate ventilators and other aspects of critical care nursing of which they had never had previous exposure. These nurses continue to be eager to learn to be independent in one of the most challenging aspects of nursing care. We have a pediatric unit in which nurses and interpreters are learning to manage complex patients including ventilated and cardiac patients as well as premature babies in the only PICU in the country. For Haiti, these advances are a giant leap in the realm of medical care and are due in a large part to you and the other volunteers who have given your time and patience.

We hope very much that you return to Hospital Bernard Mevs/Project Medishare as we continue to help the people of Haiti. We are working everyday to improve our hospital and build sustainability, and your assistance with this process is invaluable.

Thank you again and please keep in touch.

Sincerely,

Dr. Marlon Bitar and Dr. Jerry Bitar
Directors of Hospital Bernard Mevs/Project Medishare