Helpful Hints
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Helpful Hints The CRUDEM Foundation, Inc. 362 Sewall St./P.O. Box 804, Ludlow, MA 01056 413-642-0450 phone 314-754-7471 fax Website: www.crudem.org Contact: Peter J. Kelly, M.D.— President Denise Kelly— Executive Director Dear Volunteer, Thank you for your interest in volunteering at My advice to you as you embark on this adventure is CRUDEM’s Hôpital Sacré Coeur (HSC) in Milot, Haiti. to go with an open mind and heart. Enjoy the friendly We are looking forward to working with you! welcome of the Haitian people. It is important to spend time observing and absorbing the The purpose of this Helpful Hints booklet is to give surroundings when one approaches a new country you a comprehensive overview of the preparations and culture. In the face of trying and desperate needed in advance of your trip and what to expect on circumstances, the patience and resilience of the your visit. We would like to ensure that you have a Haitian people is remarkable. Be patient and very positive and rewarding experience. If you have adaptable, things may not run as smoothly as you are any questions or concerns please contact us. used to! And very importantly, become an ambassador for Haiti when you return home. As you know, Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere with approximately 80% of the On behalf of the board and staff of the CRUDEM population living in dire poverty. Hôpital Sacré Coeur Foundation, Hôpital Sacré Coeur, and most has been a beacon of hope for the people of Northern importantly, the people of Northern Haiti, we thank Haiti for the past 23 years. The hospital currently you for your time, talent and commitment in helping serves approximately 65,000 patients onsite annually us to improve one life at a time. and reaches 150,000 with vaccinations, prenatal care and other community health services. Best regards, This incredible work would not be possible without our wonderful and faithful donors, our skilled Haitian staff and the support of the many volunteers that Denise Kelly come every year. In recent years, not only do the visiting medical teams perform surgeries and treat Denise Kelly patients themselves but they also spend a lot of their Executive Director, time teaching and mentoring the Haitian staff. It truly is a collaborative effort and a learning experience for CRUDEM Foundation all involved. FIRST THINGS FIRST! At the time of your reservation, Lynx will ask for your BOOK YOUR FLIGHTS! name, address, date of birth, passport number and your weight. Yes, I know. It is a smaller sized plane Flights to Haiti fill up FAST! Once you have decided to and total weight is important so it is in your best visit and a CRUDEM official has confirmed your dates interest to be accurate. And, might as well tell you the of stay, please book your flights. Here are the rest...before getting on the plane, Lynx weighs you. options: (Tip: You can ask them to communicate i.e. shout out that information to the other Lynx employee in Lynx Air International French.) www.lynxair.com Reservations: 888-596-9247 or 954-722-9808 Lynx can send you an email confirmation upon request. Payment in full is expected 30 days prior to Medical personnel are encouraged to plan their visits your flight. Upon payment, Lynx will send you an from Saturday to Saturday. You would arrive in the email confirmation with a reservation number. Please morning allowing for a clinic to commence late bring that with you to the gate. Lynx flight times can morning. This would permit the selection and be very unpredictable! You should call to confirm screening of potential surgical cases so that you can your flight time the night before and should plan to begin work on Monday morning. arrive at the airline gate two hours prior to your flight time. If you are scheduling a connecting flight for Hôpital Sacré Coeur/CRUDEM has established your return home, allow at least four to six hours procedures and protocols for specialty clinics and between your scheduled arrival time in Florida and surgery. Please follow these guidelines. If a patient your connecting flight. asks you for a consultation in the courtyard, please refer them to the clinic. The clinics function on an A VERY IMPORTANT PIECE OF INFORMATION: There appointment basis and patients are seen in the order are no bathrooms or snacks given on Lynx flights. The in which they were registered. flight lasts 2 1/2 to 3 hours depending upon the need for refueling. Depending upon the day of the week and/or demand Lynx flies a 19 seat plane from either Ft. Lauderdale Lynx allows each passenger to carry 50 lbs of or Miami to Cap Haitien. As of January 2009, a round baggage free of charge. There is an additional $2.00 trip flight costs around $450. Lynx offers group charge for each additional pound. Your carry on bag discounts for groups of ten or more. Please contact should be extremely small such as a handbag or Lynx for details. briefcase; backpacks and even small duffle bags will be checked and not allowed on board. the hospital. Likewise, a hospital staff member will The plane engines are extremely loud. You might drive you back to Cap Haitien for your return flight. bring earplugs for your comfort. The early morning flight can be chilly so a light sweater or jacket is NOTE: You MUST keep the bottom portion of the recommended. blue/green form that Customs stamps for you with your passport and turn it into the Customs Agent Ft. Lauderdale flights depart and return from upon departure. Terminal #4, located downstairs in the commuter area. Miami flights depart from Concourse E and AIRPORT EXIT TAX return to the US Customs area. Don’t spend all your cash in Haiti! You will need $36 American Airlines (as of Jan. 2009 but subject to change so check www.aa.com/aa/homePage.do before you leave.) exact change to pay the Haiti Airport Departure Tax at the airport upon your American Airlines flies to Providenciales, Turks & departure. If you do not have exact US$, you may Caicos from both New York and Miami. Once there, receive your change in Haitian gourdes. you can take a flight to Cap Haitien on Turks & Caicos Air. Their phone number is 649-946-4999. The flight Six Weeks Before Visit is only 30 minutes but leaves the following morning. There is a Comfort Inn by the airport. Check Your Passport CONFIRM YOUR TRAVEL DATES WITH CRUDEM You will need a Passport BOOK to travel to Haiti. Passport Cards are not accepted for air travel. Be Send us an email with your travel information and we sure that your passport book is current. If you need to will be sure to log you in properly on our master secure or update your passport, visit a local US Post calendar. You can access the master calendar online Office. For safety, make two copies of your passport. at www.yahoogroups.com. Then search for Take one copy with you and keep in another place crudemvolunteers and join the group. separate from your original passport and leave the other copy with friend or family. Someone from the hospital will be waiting at the airport to greet you. The airport is small with only a Submit Volunteer Forms flight arriving at a time so you will be easily spotted. The staff member will then drive you and any other Yes, yes we know it is tedious, time-consuming and visitors from your flight the 12 miles, one hour trip to just one more thing on your list of a gazillion things to do. Alas, we cannot be flexible on this requirement. a frequent visitor, you need to fill out the form yearly. All volunteers need to be registered. You are If your medical license has expired since your last traveling to and working in a hospital outside the visit, we need a copy of your new one. If the last United States. Common sense prevails! passport photo you submitted no longer looks like you, we need a recent one. If you are a medical professional, please remember that licensing and protocols are the same as in the Mail credentials and forms to: United States, so prior to your visit, we need copies of your medical credentials. The CRUDEM Foundation, Inc. P. O. Box 804 Everyone, medical or not, needs to send in the Ludlow, MA 01056 Catholic Medical Mission Board form. CMMB provides generous and comprehensive insurance coverage — MEDICATIONS NEEDED international malpractice, evacuation, and liability — to any CRUDEM volunteer who is registered with Malaria prevention is advised. Chloraquine can be them. This coverage is at no cost to you or to prescribed by your physician and should be taken CRUDEM. If a medical emergency arises that would two weeks prior to your trip and continue during your require your evacuation, the hospital could arrange time in Haiti and for four weeks after returning. Bring for that with the assistance of the CMMB. We hope enough medication with you in case your departure is you never need to use it but if something delayed. Your tetanus immunization should be up to happens...we will all be glad the insurance is in place! date. Some feel hepatitis A and B vaccine are also wise. For Hep A vaccine (2 doses total) get at least So again… at least SIX Weeks before your visit: the first one before going and the second dose in six months.