THERAPY UPDATES

The past few months have been full of therapy and in many senses it has felt like I have been blazing a therapy trail as my therapy ministry has been growing and changing so much. I am excited to share about all that has been happening.

EDUCATING NATIONALS- SUPERVISING STUDENTS

I just finished supervising my 2nd set of Rehab Tech students this year. The Miriam Center and Outreach program were blessed to have Monies and Dorgile as part of our therapy team. They had many opportunities to learn and apply what they learned. 4 weeks of their 11 weeks with me were on the road serving alongside STAND and PHOENIX RISING (see below). I am excited to see what God has in store for each of them after graduation in August. My last set of students for the year started June 13.

I will be teach 3 university level courses August 8th-25th for the Rehab Tech students. Instead of going to the UNAH/LLU university to teach all 21 students will be coming to the Miriam Center for the 3 weeks. I will be teaching Pediatric PT, Pediatric OT and Adaptive Design/Adaptive Equipment. I chose this route because labs can be performed in the Miriam Center providing hands on practice and demonstrations with the kids.

FSRL Bachelors OT and PT PROGRAM

A few weeks ago I attended the second official FSRL board meeting (the new Bachelors level OT and PT programs). It was an honor to sit on the board on behalf of HAOT/AHE (the national OT society). We had a very successful meeting including electing officers and 2 visiting guest Dr. Jackson Dean of LLU health sciences and Dr. Eugene who is the applicant for the Dean position at FSRL. I am Excited to be apart of this amazing group of professionals who are as passionate as me about getting therapy into Haiti and educating nationals.

National PT & OT ASSOCIATION

I also had the privilege of meeting with Mr. Richard Romage, PT who is the President of the PT society of Haiti and also the Clinical Manager of Réhabilitation at the PIH/Zanmi Lasantè Hospital in Mirabalais. We had a wonderful time discussing the development of each of our associations and discussing how we could work together. I was very excited to find out about an initiative that has been made to form a sectorial table for Rehab in Haiti between the OT, PT, Rehab Tech, SCI, and PNO Associations. I did not know any of these other associations even existed in Haiti. Excited to meet up with everyone in August!

PHOENIX RISING and STAND

Phoenix Rising and STAND are both Physical Therapy, Prosthetic, Orthopedic team that comes to PdP 2-3x a year for 2 weeks at a time to provide a free clinic to the community. I am so thankful that for the past few years I have gotten the chance to partner with both of these teams to work alongside them and bring an OT/Pediatric perspective to the table. At the end of march and in April I spent 4 weeks in PdP running the pediatric clinic. The focus of these weeks were to call in as may of the outreach waiting list kids as possible in order to evaluate each them and make/supply equipment for them at home. This was in preparation for the new outreach program we were getting ready to launch. See email from last week for details on the outreach program. We saw over 130 pediatric patients! During that time we made 20+ Haitian Adapted chairs, 2 bucket chairs, 20+ pic standers/walkers, 15+ hand splints, multiple sets of knee blocks, our first PVC kneeler, and completed a lot of parent education. We had about 30 new children come that we entered onto the Outreach Waiting List so we can keep checking up on them and eventually get them regular therapy. There were so many amazing stories of kids who sat or stood for the first time, others that took their first steps, etc. I will share just a couple below. The Long hours and handwork were so worth it when we look back and see how many children's lives were changed for the good.

STAND PEDIATRIC TEAM

PHOENIX RISING TEAM- They each allowed me to pull them to consult about different kids.

This sweet little girl came to us 6 months ago when she fell and broke her femur. we helped her to see a doctor who put a special SPICA cast on. They returned about 2 months ago as the child could still not walk. He tibia/fibia are severely bowed. They report till age 10 her legs were straight and in the last 4 years they started to bow. After further x-rays it revealed fractured at the arch of the curved bone on each leg. Phoenix Rising made temporary removable casts and had their orthotist take molds to make splints. We received the splints a week before STAND and was able to have their orthotist fit them for the girl. We made her a PVC pipe walker and by the end of the day she walked out of the clinic!!!!

This little boy came to us about a month before Phoenix Rising He has 1 leg that the femur is not growing leaving him with a significant leg difference. I made a temporary lift out of foam and ducktape but Phoenix Rising orthotist/prostetic team was able to build him a special foot/brace. STAND was able to follow up a few weeks later and adjust it and provide more education to the family.

Meet Junior. HE had surgery last October at the Mission and had Bilateral tendon releases in his legs. He has been coming to therapy weekly since he got his casts off. During STAND we made him his first walker to practice daily at home and increase his independence.

This photo is 1 of the new families that came seeking help for her son. She left with a chair that enables her son to sit up on his own for the first time and a PVC stander frame that enables him to stand. This mom left with a huge smile and with HOPE.

EQUIPMENT

We have been blessed over the last few months to receive some equipment that we have been waiting on a long time (7 years)! I believe it was God's perfect timing. Thank you Jim Noland for donating all these wheelchairs. 7 MC kiddos can now be more comfortable and some increased independence on a daily basis!

We are also excited to have received our long awaited tumble form seats and tables which will increase the functional sitting position for many of our kids allowing them to play and perform FM tasks.

My therapy team has been hard at work making some sleeping positioning devices to prevent problems in the future with some of the kids hips. Kim, Walden, Minute, Emma, and Niaka have received theres so far.

AHE/HAOT- National OT Society

As a society we have decided to meet every 2 months so that we can be more affective as an Association in moving OT awareness forward in Haiti. Last meeting we took on the Initiative to create a ZIKA awareness parent education handout along with a Massage and Feeding handouts as most babies born with Zika also have problems being calmed and problems with feeding.The plan is that these will be distributed across Haiti to dr. offices and hospitals. We are also planning to have our next meeting in conjunction with some members of the Dominican Republic OT society in Quanntaminth Haiti or right across the border in the DR. We are excited to collaborate together.

MIRIAM CENTER THERAPY UPDATE

We had a fun therapy day at the beach a few weeks ago. The kids enjoyed swimming and playing in the sand. We made a fun game to work on Fine Motor and visual perceptual skills. The game was who can find the most sea shells. We realized there were not many sea shells that at the end we spelled out Miriam Center on the beach and took a group picture.
The kids are making good progress in therapy and work so hard. I recently changed up the schedule so that the kids get more time in the standers and on the therapy bike. The older kids get group therapy now which means they can have therapy more often. So far everyone seems to like the new schedule.

FINANCIAL NEEDS

I am still in need of $500 more a month in order to hire 2 more rehab technicians to come and work at the MIRIAM CENTER come September. We are in great need of more help. Providing therapy to the 38 kids that live at the MC plus to 140 outreach kids is too much for 2 people. Please consider praying about becoming a financial partner with my Haitian Therapy Staff.

TO DONATE ONLINE: wwww.cten.org/autumnmarshall/

By Phone: Call 1800-872-5404

By Mail: Commission to Every Nation
“Autumn Marshall”
PO Box 291397
Kerrville TX 78028