SAINT ROCK HAITI FOUNDATION

Providing Health, Education and Hope to Those We Serve in Saint Rock, Haiti
Milton, MA 02186 www.saintrock.org P.O. Box 511 June 2012

SRHF Celebrates International Womens Health Day!

riving as early as 4:00am, and the last patients to leave didnt do so until past 7:00 at night. International Womens Health Day served as the perfect opportunity to further reach out to the amazing women of Saint Rock. Two Fordham University seniors, Hope Bresnahan and Abby Yee, met with several small groups of women from the community and developed a Womens Health Seminar. Initially only one session was scheduled to take place during the trip, but because of the tremendous demand for information several more sessions were held! The theme of celebrating women continued as 61 women participating in the micro-loan program came together for a meeting with two members of the SRHF Executive Committee, Ralph Stowe and Maureen Ellis. This was the first time that Ralph and Maureen were able to meet with the group as a whole. Maureen reflected on this saying, meeting these wom- en, hearing their success stories, and understanding their commitment to their families and their community inspired Ralph and me. Not only was this a great chance to get a sense of the programs success, it also proved the importance of growing this tremendous program and other outreach programs like it. The Saint Rock Board of Directors had voted to increase support to this program, pending the outcome of the meeting. It was with great enthusiasm that Ralph announced the program expansion by funding an additional 32 micro-loans. Ninety-three women in the community are now considered small business owners and are proving that by working together as small cooperatives they can put their countless skills to use in the business world on a regular basis.

During a recent outreach trip, the medical team led by Jocelyn Bresnahan, NP and Angelo Salvucci, MD and three nurses, Colleen Hession, Mary Keally and Regina Tsanotelis, had the opportunity to share International Womens Health Day with the women of Saint Rock. Cele- brated on March 8th, this day focuses on the health issues of women throughout the world. Under the leadership of the clinics medical direc- tor, Dr. J. Kenes Eloy, the clinic celebrated this day by giving over 200 women and their children free medical consultations, laboratory tests, and prescription medicines. In preparation for the day, hand-made signs designed and created by Claudy Deline were displayed around the community in hopes that the women of St. Rock would take advantage of the clinics resources. As word spread throughout the mountain, International Womens Health Day became International Womens Health Week. The turnout was wonderful and the number of patients at the clinic increased daily; women were ar-

SRHF Gala: A Fun Night & A Huge Success

Thanks to all of our amazing donors and generous supporters, the Saint Rock Haiti Foundations Reverse Raffle and Gala Auction proved to be an enormous success for 2012. The event, held in late January of this year, raised muchneeded funds for the St. Rock Clinic and offered those invested in the cause to have some fun and bid on some marvelous items. Dr. Dan Driscoll was the lucky winner of the $10,000 Reverse Raffle. The generosity of not only our sponsors and those who donated auction items and prizes, but also the 389 individuals who purchased tickets is what allows our Foundation to aid the community of Saint Rock in any way we can. To all of you who made this phenomenal night happen, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

SRHF established in 2002

Special thanks goes out to the Saint Agatha Global Outreach Committee, without which this night never would have hapOverall, the Auction pened. This group has done such raised nearly $50,000, all of a fantastic job putting together which will be used towards this auction year after year, and continuing the growth and development of the clinic once again, they have outdone themselves. I think in Saint Rock. It is truly a wonderful thing to see everyone would agree that the bar has been set expeople come together and raise money for those ceptionally high for next years event, so for those who have absolutely no means whatsoever of raising who missed it, youll get another chance come Feb- money for themselves. ruary 2013. See you then!

Providing health care to the Saint Rock area. Instituting community outreach programs that promote Haitians to be selfsufficient. Focusing on educational programs for children to give them a proper foundation for life.

Faith & Inspiration in St. Rock; A Trip to Orphanage de la Providence

By Sophie Bresnahan A makeshift entryway made of rusted corrugated tin seems unsuspecting to a passerby. What lies behind, however, is a story of incredible inspiration. Tucked behind a mass of lush vegetation is the home of more than 20 orphan children who were displaced after the devastating earthquake in January 2010. Some lost their entire families to the quake, and others could no longer be cared for in the chaotic aftermath that still plagues Port-au-Prince. These children have lived such unjust and underprivileged journeys. They have witnessed unimaginable chaos and experienced tremendous loss. Despite their sorrows and troubles, these children are brimming with happiness. Their infectious laughter and genuine smiles create an environment of happiness and hopefulness. I will never cease to be amazed by their ability to create such positivity out of their doleful circumstances. This past March marked my fourth trip to St. Rock. Getting back to the orphanage, situated about two miles from the clinic, was one of my top priorities. I had grown fond of the girls on my previous visits and I was hopeful to find that the intricate maze of pop tents and flimsy tarp canopies had been replaced by a large cement room outfitted with 26 bunk-beds. Thanks to donations of clothing, basic shelter, health care, and the love of the adoptive mothers, the girls are thriving. There is tremendous hope that each of these girls education will be sponsored through the St. Rock Haiti Foundation. It is through schools that they will have their best opportunity to contribute to the growth and improvement of St. Rock and the country of Haiti. As we prepared to leave the orphanage on our last day, the girls ap- preciation for our presence was so overwhelming and unlike any gratitude I had ever witnessed. The genuine joy that fills the unassuming Saint Rock Orphanage de la Providence is something that I will always hold close to my heart.

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SAINT ROCK HAITI FOUNDATION P.O. BOX 511 MILTON, MA 02186 www.saintrock.org

The girls at Orphanage de la Providence built on the mountain in St. Rock after the earthquake. All of these girls need a sponsor and are a part of our sponsorship program.

How YOU Can Help the Children of St. Rock

BECOME A CHILD SPONSOR!
It is a part of our mission in St. Rock to provide hope and education to these children in hopes that they will have a chance to aspire to something beyond the mountains of St. Rock.

Whose Life Will You Change Forever?

* * * * * * * There are a countless number of children living in the Saint Rock community who need our help. Every day is a struggle for these children as their families live in complete and utter poverty without any means to get out. Yet, these vibrant children are not without hope or purpose.

their monthly tuition and help provide their family with food for an entire month. With that $20, you can literally change a childs life.

If you would like to sponsor a child from St. Rock, please contact us For only $20 a month, so we can connect you you can become one of to a child in St. Rock these childrens spon- whose life you will sors. With that $20, a change. sponsored child can pay * * * * * * *

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St. Rock Clinics First Health Seminar for Women

While the group that travelled to St. Rock in March was largely focused on medical care, there was also a strong interest in community outreach. Specifically an interest in outreach programs for the women of St. Rock. Hope Bresnahan and Abby Yee, 2012 graduates of Fordham University, began a plan to facilitate a women's health initiative in the community of St. Rock. During the week they were there, Hope and Abby, (with the help of the clinic's medical director, Dr. Eloy), gathered together between 40-50 women in order to develop a lesson plan for a health seminar that would follow. One of the keys to their success was that Hope and Abby meet with the women in small groups where they felt comfortable discussing their various health issues and concerns. They were also encouraged to voice any subject they wished to learn more about. From the information obtained during these small group sessions, Hope and Abby were able to create a comprehensive lesson plan based on the specific health issues facing the women of St. Two young women from the St. Rock Rock. They wrote their lesson plan in community sit on the side of the road and English, and Dr. Eloy translated it into discuss their issues. Creole. The resulting seminar was, as Hope describes, "extremely successful en were more knowledgeable and emand exciting". powered when they left the clinic after that first session. The turnout was phenomenal as women from the St. Rock community filled a class room in the clinic, eager to learn and anxious to see what they could get out of this class. Hope and Abby's lesson plan did not disappoint. The womThis seminar not only offered the women of St. Rock the chance to learn about their health, it also showed them that the Foundation truly cares about their well-being. These women, many of them mothers with families, are constantly called upon to support their children in every way possible, and it's easy for them to forget themselves. The first class at the clinic inspired them to remember how truly important they are. As word spread throughout the community about the class, Hope and Abby were asked to provide more sessions, which they held daily for the remainder of the trip. Hope and Abby's goal is to continue the health education for women in the St. Rock community so that they can live healthier lives and develop healthier habits. The lack of resources is what keeps these women uninformed and unhealthy. Hope and Abby's plan is to simply bring these women the resources that they need; resources that are so readily available to us that we often take it for granted. To Hope, the class built her dedication and enthusiasm for what is yet to come: "Overall, the week of March 6, 2012 was one filled with small accomplishments that amounted to not only immediate success (the level of interest and positive response among participants), but more importantly it left us with tremendous hope for the future."

Creating a Healthier Community:

CLINICS MEDICAL DIRECTOR VISITS U.S. FOR THE FIRST TIME

This past February, Dr. Jean Kenes Eloy had the opportunity to travel to the United States for the first time. And while the trip was mostly business related, SRHF Board Members made sure our esteemed medical director had some fun as well. Dr. Eloys main purpose for trav- eling to the states was for his first official Board Meeting, where he was sworn in as a member and welcomed by all those currently serving on the Board. It was wonderful to see all of the positivity and perspective he will be bringing to our Board. During his stay, Dr. Eloy also had the chance to shadow several medical practitioners involved in the SRHF. He was able to experience geriatrics with Dr. Steve Bresnahan, non-invasive cardiology with Dr. Jon Ellis, invasive cardiology with Dr. Barry Arkin, and a little bit of everything with Dr. Dan Driscoll and Jocelyn Bresnahan, N.P. Dr. Eloy was truly thrilled to be able to observe the medical facilities and practices here in the U.S. and eager to learn about how he could incorporate these at the clinic in St. Rock. In fact, Dr. Eloy has already set up both high blood pressure and pre-natal clinics to address the needs of the Saint Rock community.

Tom Burns, Facilities Chair, and his wife Penelope with Dr. Eloy

SAINT ROCK HAITI FOUNDATION

P. O. Box 511 Milton, MA 02186

The Saint Rock Haiti Foundation is a 501(c)(3 ) non-profit organization established in 2002 to provide for the poor of Haiti in the rural Saint Rock area.

Aidan Rooney, a language teacher at Thayer Academy, went on his first outreach trip to Saint Rock in March. Upon visiting the Mother Teresa Orphanage in downtown Port-Au-Prince, Aidan was so moved he wrote this poem. It so perfectly captures the helpless, love-filled experience of walking into a room filled with crying babies all reaching up to be held; to be loved.

Angel
by Aidan Rooney
Her ankle tag reads Ange-Louise, 2 ans.

Were it not for the diaper in her frock shed slip. She sleeps in the crook of my arm that has fallen asleep. Her sweat beads grow.

Shed be one of the ones on the world news had she not hung her eyes and raised her arms for nothing more than a pick me up.

Were it not for her heat and her heartbeat against mine, she might not be there at all. There are no words. Outside, a waiting truck.

I hope she wont wake when I put her back.

Anna Butler holds one of the babies during the visit to the Mother Teresa Orphanage in downtown Port-au-Prince

-- LOrphelinat Mre Trsa, Port-au-Prince