Today, Cooper University Hospital welcomed back a group of 18 doctors, nurses and technicians from a 12-day medical mission to Haiti.
“We’re proud to welcome home the team of medical professionals from Cooper who spent nearly two weeks providing care to the thousands of people injured in the Haitian earthquake,” said John P. Sheridan, Jr., President and CEO of Cooper. “Congratulations on a job well done.”
Just two days after the devastating earthquake in Haiti, Cooper University Hospital and The Norcross Foundation announced plans for a medical mission to Haiti comprised of Cooper University Hospital medical professionals. By the weekend, volunteers were in place and supplies and equipment were gathered. The Norcross Foundation arranged transportation and the team was on its way.
“Cooper Hospital opened its doors in 1887 as a Charity Hospital and its mission was clear: to provide medical care to those most in need,” said George E. Norcross, III, Chairman of Cooper and The Norcross Foundation. “Today, more than a century later, that mission continues through the medical professionals that care for patients every day at Cooper and beyond our borders. This mission is an example of true dedication to the profession of medicine.”
The Cooper Team arrived six days after the earthquake struck and was one of the first international medical teams on the scene. They worked at the Haitian-Dominican border where they provided emergency, surgical and critical care for thousands of injured Haitians who were transported to the area from Port-au-Prince and other areas affected by the earthquake. The team was instrumental in bringing organization to the chaos by developing separate care areas, including triage, surgery, wound care, medical and post-surgical care and intensive care.
Anthony Mazzarelli, M.D., J.D., M.B.E., Director of Emergency Medicine at Cooper, planned the mission and organized the team in Haiti. “We were amazed at the strength, resilience, and gratitude of the Haitian people. Our entire team was humbled by the experience,” he said. “We feel thankful for the opportunity to be reminded why we entered the field of healthcare. Our team is incredibly grateful to the entire Cooper Family for providing the resources, the support, and the opportunity to continue the mission of Cooper in a part of the world that desperately needed our help.”
While in Haiti, the team expressed the need for crutches and canes. Cooper University Hospital organized a drive and within one week, over 5000 pairs of crutches, 450 walkers and 600 canes were collected from all over the Delaware Valley. The supplies are now making their way to Haiti.
To view the blog from the Cooper Medical Mission, visit haiti.cooperhealth.org.