When seeing the images of devastation from the massive earthquake in Haiti on Jan. 12, 2010, the need for medical relief comes to mind. But for Haitian-born dermatologist Dr. Alix Charles, who now lives and practices in Hinsdale, Ill., he thought of his relatives still living in Port-au-Prince.
"I talked to my mom and my aunt is OK," Dr. Charles told the newspaper 9 days later in an update. "We have family friends still in Port-au-Prince, and I heard through the grapevine that they're fine." ("Dermatologist Knows Need In Haiti Firsthand," Jan. 21, 2010)
For the past 6 years, Dr. Charles has traveled to Haiti on volunteer medical missions with the American Academy of Dermatology. (The photograph above is of Dr. Charles on one such mission last October.)
Meanwhile, Kansas dermatologist Dr. Stan Capper, and his wife Gail, have been coordinating trips to Haiti for more than 14 years (The Wichita Eagle, "Groups Building Health Care Kits to Send to Haiti," Jan. 26, 2010).
This year, after news of the quake, the couple galvanized their efforts to organize a local Haiti relief drive to collect, prepare, and send health kits to survivors.
Joined by three Wichita churches, the Cappers are collecting one-gallon plastic bags, hand towels, washcloths, combs, nail files, fingernail clippers, bars of soap, toothbrushes, and sterile bandages until Feb. 12 (more details can be found here).
As for how the rest of the industry has shown support for Haiti, I’m sure there’s been many a text to “90999” between patient visits -- in addition to donations of supplies, cash , and time -- proving that even if dermatologists are not first responders, they still very much respond when there is a crisis.
-- Markette Smith (on Twitter @sknews)
Image Courtesy Dr. Alix Charles