BROOKE'S INTERNSHIP

Meet Brooke!

Brooke had been to Haiti 4 or 5 times before on short term trips. She had fallen in love with the kids and was in school to become an Occupational Therapy Assistant. She asked he school if she could do 1 of her level 2 fieldworks in Haiti. The school agreed. So she spent 7 weeks doing therapy at the Miriam Center.  It was such a blessing to have Brooke as a student. She was eager to learn, hardworking, full of good questions that made you think, attentive, loving, compassionate and most importantly FLEXIBLE. 

Brooke got to experience a little bit of everything. She followed the Miriam center kids treatment plans and came up with fun activities to do with them!

Playing a fun Fine Motor game!

She came up with this cute frame idea of holding the frames
the kids made in therapy up and then taking their pictures
in them

HAND WASHING...COOKIE MAKING ADVENTURE

We made cut out sugar cookies with each of the kids. So much fun!

MAKING HAND PRINTS WITH THE KIDS

Brooke's Assignment was to come up with a fun craft activity to do with the kids that was OT and that could be used to raise funds for the therapy program. She came up with the super cute hand print foam keepsakes. 

 OUTREACH and MIRIAM CENTER BEACH TRIPS

Brooke got to go to the beach on 2 occasions and facilitate water and sand fun!

CASTING

Brooke got to learn how to do casting and practice. We had fun!

STAND

We spent her last 2 weeks in PdP with a group of Physical Therapists, Orthotists and Prosthetics. They brought 3 pediatric PTs. So Brooke helped and got to see over 140 different children during that time. Got to help make adaptive equipment our of PVC pipe and ductape, hand splints, fit AFO's, etc. Really she got to see a little bit of everything! 

well note to self...super glueing your fingers to the hand
splint you are adding velcro to may not be the best the idea...

Listening in on the evaluation 

Learning how to make some adaptive equipment

How crazy busy the room was most of the time!!!

Learning to fit AFO's

More learning....

Some practice...

learning how to make a hand prosthesis using hand splinting
material as the base piece inside the hand

Our crazy pediatric team!

CELEBRATING HER BIRTHDAY!!!!

It was so fun to pull off a surprise birthday party for Brooke towards the end of her trip!

Brooke came during 2 of my craziest months of ministry and so life was very fast pace and plans were constantly changing. Brooke will tell you that she received a ton of hands on experience, she quickly learned to problem solve and think on her feet, and hands down will have the best stories to share with her classmates. Who else got to ride out a category 4 hurricane, or see 120 kids in a week! Brooke’s fieldwork was far from the norm but that is part of what made it so great. The kids and I miss Brooke.