I am blessed to have a job I love at Akron Children’s, where I get to split time between hospital medicine and global health. Through my years of working in Haiti and at St. Damien Pediatric Hospital, I’ve had the opportunity to develop friendships with patients and care givers that feels more like helping family […]
A mission with heart: Day 1 in Haiti
Many of Akron Children’s doctors, nurses and staff travel regularly to Haiti to help care for the sick children at St. Damien Pediatric Hospital. This post is the first installment of a 3-part series by Dr. Grace Smith, who gives a first-person account of her most recent medical mission trip there.
Last night in Haiti
For my last night in Haiti, Sister Judy and our leader Jeff Kempf have taken us to a very nice restaurant just minutes from the hospital grounds. It was a great way to end the trip. We began the morning with a memorable meeting we are sure will make history. We began the conversation of […]
A different view of Haiti
We are midway through our service here at St Damien’s, the only pediatric hospital in Haiti. Having never been to Haiti before, I had somewhat of a “skewed” view of the climate of the country overall. Having come straight to the hospital, and living in the camp on the grounds of the hospital, all we […]
Keeping our spirits high in Haiti
A Haitian day seems a lot longer than an American day, if that is possible. We all parted for our duties at 7 a.m., after downing a cliff bar and a cup of instant coffee. Our nurses here, along with nurse practitioner Ann Ryan and former Akron pediatric resident Rachel, taught PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life […]
Another eye-opening experience in Haiti
Today was an unbelievable day in Haiti. Jeff worked all night in the ER. Pediatric nurse practitioner, Tracey Herstich, and critical care doctor, John Pope, covered the intensive care unit, and I was in the clinic. With the help of a medical interpreter, I saw more than 16 patients. I treated the majority of them […]
