The High Impact of Volunteering at Hôpital Sacré Coeur

CRUDEM’s Hôpital Sacré Coeur is so grateful to all of the dedicated and committed volunteers who have come to give of their time, talents and resources over the past 24 years. Initially the vast majority of visitors to CRUDEM were medical professionals but in recent years with the building of Malta Mission House non-medical visitors also have the opportunity to see and experience firsthand the hospital and its service to the poor and the sick.

Volunteer with PlaneIn 2009 we hosted 270 medical volunteers and 75 non-medical volunteers. Our loyal CRUDEM volunteers responded immediately in the aftermath of the tragic earthquake and we also welcomed hundreds of new volunteers. Since January, over 1,500 generous volunteers with varying skills paid their own way to Milot and contributed in a very meaningful way to the recovery efforts onsite at the hospital. Volunteers come from a vast variety of backgrounds, specialties and countries (majority from the United States) but all share the common goal of helping to improve the quality of care provided to the patients at Hôpital Sacré Coeur.

Many volunteers return, some several times each year. The vast majority say they return to Haiti as often as they can because it reminds them what is important in life. Serving the sick, the poor and defenseless is always a great privilege and a great responsibility. In spite of the suffering and hardship in Haiti, the people are friendly and welcoming, they love to sing, dance and celebrate life. Although they are living through the most trying and desperate circumstances, they have a steadfast faith and hope that tomorrow will be better. They humbly appreciate the help received and are particularly grateful when it is self-empowering help that will allow them to better themselves and make progress in the future.

Our Haitian staff has a high level of competency but continuous formation has been requested and recognized as extremely important. There is a saying that if you give a man a fish you feed him for one day but if you teach a man to fish you feed him for life. This is the philosophy that we are trying to encourage at Hôpital Sacré Coeur. In recent years, not only do the visiting medical teams perform surgeries and treat patients themselves but they also spend a lot of their time teaching and mentoring the Haitian staff e.g. the Regis School of Nursing in Boston. The establishment of a medical library at the hospital and also the teaching and sharing of expertise and knowledge by the visiting teams is warmly received by the local Haitian staff. We are also encouraging the same collaboration in non-medical fields such as renovation and construction projects.

ImmigrationIt truly is a collaborative effort and a learning experience for all involved when volunteers are willing to work side by side with the Haitian staff in a patient, humble and open attitude. Our Haitian staff appreciates the knowledge gained from visiting volunteers but also have a lot to teach as they are the experts in poverty living and local customs and culture. We have guidelines and policies that we ask all volunteers to respect while onsite at CRUDEM’s Hôpital Sacré Coeur. This ensures that their stay is a rewarding experience for all involved and that the patients receive the excellent level of care that they deserve. If you are interested in coming to visit please feel free to contact us!

From 2002 to 2006 Denise Kelly lived at CRUDEM’s Hôpital Sacré Coeur, working with the Order of Malta and the Society of St Vincent de Paul on various projects in Haiti. Since 2007, Denise Kelly has served as Executive Director of the CRUDEM Foundation. She has an MBA from Fairfield University and lives in Dublin, Ireland. And, to answer an oft asked question: she is not related to CRUDEM President, Peter Kelly.

By Denise Kelly