Gladewater sophomore Brandon Kegarise helped deliver a 10-pound baby by Caesarean section last week in Haiti.
This week he is sitting in his classes at KC.
“This was an experience that opened my eyes and I would recommend that any KC student, if given the opportunity, go to Haiti,” Kegarise said.
Kegarise, who aspires to attend medical school, left Saturday, Feb. 13, with two Longview surgeons, Dr. Robert Shirley and Dr. Ben Mack, and 11 nurses to aid in the Haiti relief efforts. His aunt, Faye Wardlaw, was among the nurses and helped secure the opportunity for him to assist with the surgeries.
Haiti was the site of a devastating earthquake Jan. 12, costing more than 200,000 people their lives, according to a New York Times estimate.
Kegarise’s group arrived at 6 p.m. Feb. 13, and performed a surgery within moments of arriving. During his stay in Haiti, Kegarise assisted with more than 30 surgeries and scrubbed-in for several others. These surgeries consisted of appendectomies, splenectomies, exploratory and mostly hernia repair surgeries. Most of the hernia repairs were for football-sized hernias.
“The first three nights we slept on the floor in one of the hospital rooms, until the staff found some cots in a storage closet,” Kegarise said.
Living conditions for the medical aides were not what most college students are accustomed to. Food was prepared by a French kitchen for breakfast every day and a Haitian and Chinese kitchen for lunch and dinner. The beds were scarce and the showers were cold, with most not even having a shower head, just a stream of cold water. This did not compare to the Haitian people’s living conditions.
“About 95 percent of the population live outside, and of that 95 percent only 25 percent had actual tarps to sleep under and the rest lived under sheets with it raining every night,” Kegarise said.
Before the earthquake, only 35 patients were in this particular hospital, but after this disaster more than 2,000 patients were staying in either the hospital or on the grounds outside the hospital. Translators were guaranteed free room and board. Most females between the ages of 15-30 had at least one child.
Religion is of the utmost importance to the Haitian people. A 3-year-old boy before surgery screamed out while Kegarise held him, “Help me, Jesus, help me!”
“Religious music was played on loud speakers in the courtyard every day from 7 a.m. to midnight,” Kegarise said.
This team of medical professionals worked around the clock every day from 7 a.m. to midnight. Medical equipment, such as CAT scans, were not available. The only machine in use was an outdated x-ray machine, and lab tests were done in a lab, operated by a Haitian woman, but not available after 4 p.m.
Haitians also face economic hardships because of the devastation. Some have resorted to painting images on any piece of raw material available to sell to foreign relief personnel. Kegarise brought seven paintings back from Haiti for his friends and family.
“These people were desperate for any money, and would paint on anything in order to make money,” he said.
Kegarise said the conditions he witnessed were a stark contrast to everyday life in other countries.
“Don’t take anything for granted because people in other countries don’t get to experience what we experience on a daily basis, “ Kegarise said.
This group of 13 medical professionals and one KC student left Haiti on Feb. 20. With more than 30 surgeries performed and several babies delivered, the experience left Kegarise wanting to help more.
“I wish I could have stayed another week,” he said.
Additional Information
The TRIO Club is accepting donations of packaged food, bottled water, hygiene items and clothing through April 2 in the Trio room located in the SS building.
The Baptist Student Ministry is accepting donations of crutches at the BSM.
Texas Baptist Men, a local Christian organization is accepting donations of buckets at various locations throughout Texas to help create a water filtration system for the people of Haiti. For more information about donation locations, visit www.texasbaptistmen.org.
Brookshire’s and Super 1 Foods stores have initiated a scan coupon donation program to benefit earthquake victims of Haiti through American Red Cross efforts.Customers can purchase a $1 or $5 coupon when they check out, and all donations will go to the Red Cross.The Tyler, Texas-based grocery company will match the first $10,000 that customers donate in this program, which will last indefinitely.
Mercy Ships, headquartered here in East Texas, has mobilized its Disaster Response Team to address both medical and non-medical needs in Haiti. Call 903-939-7000 for more information, or mail your contribution to P.O. Box 2020, Garden Valley, Texas 75771.
The American Red Cross is accepting donations via text message.
Text “HAITI” to 90999 to donate $10 to help with disaster relief.
Call 1-800-486–HELP or go to AmeriCares.org to donate money for help purchasing medicine and medical supplies and for expenses for providing that medical aid.
To donate money to the Salvation Army in Haiti, go to salvationarmyusa.org or call 1-800–SAL–ARMY. Make sure you designate the donation for “Haiti Earthquake.” Money will go to the Salvation Army in Haiti, which will determine the country’s immediate needs, including water, food, medicine and transportation.