SSM Supports Relief Efforts in Haiti
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Students in Madison, Wis., sell hot cocoa to benefit victims of Haiti earthquake.
(Updated February 1, 2010) Three caregivers for SSM Health Care returned to St. Louis on Saturday, January 30 after spending six days on a medical mission to Haiti. They were responding to the urgent need for medical attention for the injured survivors of the earthquake that rocked that country Jan. 12. Click here to watch video of their departure.)SSM St. Mary's Health Center , Richmond Heights, Mo., said of the clinicians on the trip. Guyol was team leader for the group whose plane landed at Spirit of St. Louis Airport in Chesterfield, Mo., shortly before 9 p.m. Saturday. View new photos from their trip.CRUDEM ) which operates a hospital, Hopital Sacre Coeur, in the town of Milot in the northern part of Haiti. Because the earthquake damage was less severe there, many injured have been shipped there for treatment. (Read accounts from the trip from Dr. Guyol.)SSM Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center in St. Louis, and Dr. Robert Flood, division director of emergency medicine at Cardinal Glennon. Guyol, Flood and Laffey praised the Haitians for their resilience even amid the devastation.UNICEF Haiti Earthquake Relief for earthquake victims. Sister Mary Jean Ryan, FSM, Chair/CEO of SSM Health Care, said: "The magnitude of the tragedy leaves us feeling helpless. Perhaps this donation will help in some small way."St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison, Wis., St. Mary's matched employee donations up to $10,000. Efforts included a partnership between St. Mary's employee Lisa Koenig (St. Mary's Renal Center) and students from O'Keefe Middle School and Lowell Elementary School. They set up a hot cocoa stand along a bike path - and raised $1,225 in just two hours for Haiti relief. Dean Health System , physician partners of
St. Mary's, has made a similar commi tment to match its employees and physicians' donations up to $10,000.St. Clare Hospital & Health Services , which has supported a medical clinic in Thiotte, Haiti, for many years is collecting scrubs a nd other clothing that will be sent to the clinic. The hospital is also matching employee donations toward relief efforts. And Dr. Maureen Murphy is scheduled to leave for Thiotte on Feb. 2. She is president of Haiti Medical Mission of Wisconsin. A physician from SSM St. Joseph Health Center in St. Charles, Mo., dermatologist Hank Clever, was also scheduled to leave for Haiti with donated medical supplies.St. Mary's Health Center in Jefferson City, Mo., the hospital has pledged to match employee donations up to $5,000.mission awareness team led a drive that netted enough toiletries for 55 kits and other donations.Sister Mary Jean in a recent e-mail to employees:
“I wanted to take this opportunity to encourage you to offer your prayers for the people of Haiti and their loved ones. The earthquake has devastated an already poor nation. The news reports show unimaginable suffering. I felt that as a Catholic health system, one of the things we can do is offer our prayers.
“We have a number of nurses, physicians and others in the system who regularly travel to Haiti to offer hope and healing. And I'm sure we have many employees with family and friends there. During this time of great sadness, I encourage you to post your prayers or your thoughts on Bill Thompson's blog. You may also offer your prayer request through the Franciscan Sisters of Mary prayer program at http://www.fsmonline.org/forms/2/ .”
Thompson’s blog is located on the SSM intranet.
