Overflow: SPECIAL NEEDS HEALTH FAIR

SPECIAL NEEDS HEALTH FAIR

I have been EXCITED to be able to participate in the 2^nd annual special needs health fair that my friends Ashley and Sally put on. I was blessed to be able to help with this amazing event.

Day 1- Set up & Pre-building Day

We did preparations for the special needs health fair which was held at Hope Rising. The goal of this day was to pre-make as many pieces of equipment as possible and to set up the evaluation areas to be all ready for the actual Fair day. We had a wonderful crew of 3 rehab tech students and 5 PT/OT students, 5 therapists and lots of volunteers from Sally's church to help us. We pre-cut 15 PVC standers and walkers, pre-cut 13 bucket chairs, pre-cut wood bases for bucket chairs, pre-cut wood triangles to attach the wheels to the walkers. We organized all the braces, shoes, etc. After we finished setting everything up at Hope Rising (Where the actual Fair was held). We headed back to Respire to print parent home exercise programs to educate the families with the next day and laminated them. Finished gathering up loose ends. It was a very successful set-up day that definitely made the rest of the week go more smoothly.

We were super blessed to have Patty a professional Seamstress come and sew us so many awesome things including boppy pillows, walker/stander seats, 4 point straps for the haitian adapted chairs, seats & backs for bucket chairs. She was absolutely AMAZING!

Day 2- Special Needs Health Fair

This was an AWSOME day. We had 43 Special Needs families participate. All the kids received a therapy evaluation and were given return appointments to come in the following 2 days for us to build all the equipment. We did make 8 pieces of equipment this day as well.

There were also 10 stations at the Fair outside of therapy that the families passed through. Some of these stations included

-height/weight to screen for malnutrition 

-Nutrition- Food Group education

-Tooth brushing station

 -Hand washing station

 -Drinking water station 

-Rehydration Salt station 

-Bible Story station 

-Therapy Ball station.

-Bouncy House Fun Station

These stations were manned by a group from Sally's home church.

We had a lot of hands on deck! Such a great day. We have 12 kids coming back tomorrow for equipment and 10 more kids on Thursday to make equipment.

coloring

Therapy Ball- each family received a therapy ball

Waiting for Therapy

Bible Story

Nutrition

Toothbrushing

Playing while waiting

Screening for Malnourishment

Bubbles!!!

Hand Washing

Distractions while waiting for therapy....

Distractions while waiting for therapy

This little boy was stuck in club foot shoes and bars for years as mom could not afford to go back for
follow up care so kept him in the special shoes. He had not had the freedom to walk...This face is priceless!!!!

David’s Story…1 boy’s life was definitely touched this day. Here is what Tara Matson 1 of the team members wrote…

“Not sure where to start so I'm starting with this little guy. It was absolutely incredible to see his transformation. He is over 6 years old and weighs about 22 pounds. Our team examined him, cut his hair, bathed him, reupholstered his car seat, fed and gave him water, and made him a chair to sit up in. He couldn't do one thing when he got to the health fair. And YES, he is sitting up in the car seat in the last picture!!!! We all gasped!

We learned so much this week and David is a great picture of one. Some of the corrupt orphanages keep their kids starving so that we keep sending money. Please know where your money is going. Don't just send it because someone shows a sad picture. With the very best intentions, we maybe doing grave damage. Know where your money is going. Know that they are not abusing kids to get it! Ask questions!!!!

For God so loved the WORLD that He gave His one and only son that whomever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life!” Tara Matson Also meet

David getting a hair cut.

David's newly covered car seat. Patty you seriously ROCK!!! Just whipping this out in an hour or 2.

David's new chair :-)

Yemimah who was also from the same orphanage was given the royal princess treatment all day. She received a new pretty dress, We were able to make her a chair & walker, Fit her for AFO's and Tennis Shoes, and she gots lots of fun snacks throughout the day. So many people loved on her all day long. She had 1 big smile ALL day long. I can say her walker was 1 of the coolest pieces of equipment we made all week.

Day 3 and 4- Follow Up Building Days

We built a TON of equipment over the 2 follow up days of building. Both days we had many many hands that participated in the building. Over the 2 days we built

-5 Bucket Chairs- but we pre-made 10 just in case. They will need adapted to kids but the basics design is finished.

-11 Haitian Adapted Chairs

-12 Pairs of AFO's were fitted to kids

- 4 hand braces were made.

-5 PVC standers were made

-6 PVC walkers were made

-1 scoliosis brace was made

-3 bivalve club foot braces were made

-1 car seat cover was made.

Looking at this list I am in AWE of all that was accomplished in such a short time. Its a testimony to the AMAZING TEAM that we had working together.

Bivalve club foot casts- these will not correct the clubfoot but will help hold the feet in
a better position so that they do not get worse while they wait for surgery.

This is our AMAZING TEAM of Therapists, Rehab Techs, and PT students that came to help with the fair!!!! I LOVE that so many our nationals.

The DYNAMIC 5- It was absolutely AMAZING to serve alongside these 4 therapists.

1. Ashley in an Occupational Therapist who runs a therapy program at Respire in Haiti

2. Erin is a Physical Therapist who runs a therapy program at Haiti Medical Missions or Memphis. 3. Rachel is a Physical Therapist who currently works in the states but has a heart for Haiti & is feeling called to move to Haiti full-time soon.

4. Ellie is a Physical Therapists who travels. In between travel assignments she likes to travel & serve. This is her 2nd time in Haiti.

5. And Me- which you all know I live in Haiti and run a therapy program at Northwest Haiti Christian Mission.

As I look back at this week I can't help but have a HAPPY and JOYFUL heart knowing so many kids were loved on, equipment custom made for them at home, and that all 43 children were hooked up with a therapy center that they will follow up with in the next few weeks.