Dominicano in need

RAmelia

New member
Oct 20, 2011
25
0
0
Hello!
I recently became aware of the case below which I'd like to share with my fellow Dominicanos particularly with anyone living in the Boston area.

Saludos!

[h=1]Urgent Care: Call to Action[/h]For the first time in HHI?s history, our dedication to providing the best possible care to our patients demands an international course of action.
Jansel is a 19-year-old young man from Pancho Mateo, who will soon be coming to the United States to receive critical life-saving orthopedic surgery at Shriners Hospital for Children in Boston, MA. We met Jansel in September 2011 when, bedridden for nearly nine months after suffering a fractured leg in a motorcycle accident, he came to us with a deep tissue infection and incompletely healed bone -- he had received no follow-up care after an initial operation post-accident. Despite receiving a second surgery in November, this time provided through HHI, Jansel?s infection continued to progress. In January 2012, he was diagnosed with extensive osteomyelitis in his tibia, placing him in danger of losing his leg, and indeed, his life.
The HHI team in the Dominican Republic worked for weeks to find a treatment option for Jansel. After consulting with orthopedic surgeons in the DR and the US, it became clear that all of the proposed options would likely result, ultimately, in amputation. The extent of infection demanded a complex operation and intensive recovery process that were not possible in-country -- the hospitals did not have access to the required equipment and surgical techniques, and the required course of intravenous antibiotics could not be provided in the necessary sterile environment.

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After reaching out to surgeons and hospitals across the United States, we made contact with Partners In Health, who generously and quickly jumped into action. PIH connected us with colleagues at Shriners, who reviewed and accepted Jansel?s case in a matter of days, leaving us grateful and relieved that he might -- against all odds -- have a chance at recovery. Jansel and his mother, Claris, secured passports; documentation and letters of advocacy were completed; the Shriners surgeons set a medical plan of action with the Dominican surgeons, who have supported and treated Jansel diligently over the last several months; and logistics were set in motion with the expert support of the Shriners social work department. We are now awaiting the American Embassy?s approval of an emergency medical visa.
Shriners Hospital is dedicated to providing the highest quality care to children with special healthcare needs, regardless of origin or background, and is therefore providing all of Jansel?s medical care at no cost. As the sponsoring agency, HHI has committed to providing Jansel and Claris with housing, meals, transportation, and all other necessary financial support during their time in Boston -- which could extend for three months or more.
We hope we can count on our supporters, friends, and volunteers to make this incredible opportunity a success for Jansel. If you can lend a hand in any of the ways described below, please contact Laura at lmcnulty@hhidr.org or 617-627-4299 -- this effort will only be possible with a dedicated team, and each person reading this can truly make a difference.
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[h=2]Here's how you can help! Please consider supporting Jansel?s care and recovery in Boston by:[/h]? Making a financial donation, online or by check. Please indicate ?Operation Jansel? as the designation.
? Donating new or gently used winter clothing and coats, toiletries, sports magazines (Jansel loves baseball, especially the Red Sox!), or any books or magazines in Spanish.
? Signing up to visit Jansel at Shriners Hospital in Boston, MA, or spend time with him and his mom once he is discharged -- they have never been to the US before, and we would love to make them feel welcome.
? Signing up to host Jansel and Claris, for any length of time, if you live within a few hours of Boston. We are hoping to arrange long-term housing, but with the uncertainty of his treatment plan, we would be so grateful to have back-up plans.
? Helping with meals or driving.
If you can help with any of the above, please contact Laura at lmcnulty@hhidr.org or 617-627-4299 . Thank you so much for your kindness and support!
Please note that in our November 2011 e-newsletter, we used the pseudonym ?Eduardo? to tell Jansel?s story in order to protect his privacy, as we do for all our patients. Now, since we hope our supporters will rally to help with his care and our Boston-area supporters may even meet him, we asked Jansel?s permission to use his real name. He and his mother, Claris, both agreed.