An earthquake demolishes the country of Haiti. Ric Bonnell,a Fort Worth pediatric ER doctor answers the call and sets off for Haiti. This was a real life changing event for Ric. Not only did he work to save children he and his wife Wendy (also an MD in pediatric) set about adopting 5 children who had lost both parents. Back at home awaiting the visa for the children, Ric was notified that his oldest s on was not doing well medically. He was losing weight was weak and getting worse daily. Ric immediately flew to Haiti and discovered his son's blood sugar was very high and at a dangerous level. A diagnosis of Juvenile Diabetes Mellitus (JDM) was established. JDM was thought to be rare and not often seen in Haiti. Ric was doubtful and started to screen other children for JDM. He found that other children indeed had JDM but their poor condition were attributed to poor nutrition and ultimate death. Ric and another USA trained doctor then founded the Kay Mackenson Center for pediatric diabetes and other chronic disease states in children (Kaymackenson.org). Since its recent founding they have discovered over 30 children with JDM and associated complications.
Treating the disease became problematic for a number of reasons. Although insulin availability, glucometers and there respective test strips were expensive and difficult to obtain the Kay Makenson group relied on funding from the states to accomplish there immediate treatment goals. The real problem became how to administer the chronic ongoing care that this JDM disease requires. Education of the patient is important but who was to do the education? Who would be there to interpret the glucometer results and advise on insulin dosage. Who would be able to see the complications of JDM early enough to offer intervention? What facilities in Haiti could be accessed? Who could advise on nutrition or be able to access the proper nutrition for the patients? On and on the questions came.
Further discussion with Ric and Wendy (we three also run a free clinic here in Granbury,TX) led me to believe this was a problem that fits into the goals of Rotary International. A global Clinical Grant could bring forth a program that would try to provide some solutions to the myriad of problems that exist. Education, Community Service, Fellowship with local Rotarians and international experience.
What became quite clear was the fact there was a lot we did not know or understand. Knowledge we needed to put forward in a request for a global clinical grant. Obviously we had to prepare a plan to determine the best approach to asses this complicated problem. At a minimum we needed to determine the following.
1) What was the position of the Haitian Medical Society. How could they help us. Having there approval and consul was absolutely essential. We would have to know their thoughts.
2) What could the local community leaders offer?
3) Could we find a local Rotary club willing to be a sponsor? (To date I have contacted the DG along with two Haitian clubs presidents. Both said they were interested in exploring this project further).
4) What educational programs could be established to identify and establish long term therapy. Similarly, what type of personnel would you target to be the educators? How difficult would it be to establish this program.
5)Could we expand the area to determine what other chronic diseases that might exist but could be treated by an educated local community (i.e. Sustainability)?
This district grant request is to send three Rotarians to Haiti, and in particular to Saint-Marc (Kay Makenson Center). The goal being a fact finding trip to answer the above questions. I am also sure other questions will be forth coming We will arrange to meet with our local Rotarian club's who have shown an interest. Pre arrange meetings will be set up with the local government officials, the Haitian Medical society, educators and the staff of the Kay Mackenson Center. The team will prepare for this trip with regularly scheduled meetings that establish an agenda prior to embarking on the trip. The report from this trip would try to identify answers to the above question which would be the basis on which we felt a global research grant was worth while and complied with the goals set out by Rotary International.
Funding:
Travel from DFW to Port-au-Prince and return $950/person $2850
Three nights in safe hotel $150/person $ 450
Local Transportation $300 $ 300
Food $100/person $ 300
Contingency @ 15% $ 585
_____________________________________________________________________
Total for exploratory trip $4485
|