April 2024 – Success Stories From The Field

April 2024 | Hope continues!  

STORIES FROM THE FIELD: Stories from Jony Pierre- For You Haiti’s Patient Coordinator

Danaica: From cleft lip repair to talking! 

Danaïca was born with one of the severest Cleft lip and Palate we have seen. She was the youngest in a family of 6 siblings. Her dedicated father brought her to FYH asking for help for his daughter. She required numerous painful surgeries on her lip and nose and finally had surgery to close her palate. 

In 2022, Danaica amazingly started school much to the joy of her family and our team! She is a smart beautiful little girl who easily makes friends. She likes drawing and writing.  Late last year, Danaica started talking! Hearing her say her first words was one of the absolute highlights for all of us at For You Haiti! 

She is growing up so fast before our eyes and is now extremely healthy. Her family loves her to the moon and back and so do we. Through your support, we were able to give Danaica’s job at our surgery house as manager, so that he can help parents who have children going through life-changing surgeries.  For You Haiti is one big family. 

Balacove: – Staff Spotlight! 

Balacove Jacsy was born on May 24, 1994 at Mare-Sucrin and he has 6 siblings.  He started and finished primary school at Mare-Sucrin and finished high school in our main town, Anse A Galets. After high school, his dream was to become a mechanic because he noticed that vehicles break down so often and there are not many mechanics in La Gonave. He was so happy to learn a trade and one that he can be of use to life-saving work like For You Haiti. Now Balacove is cheerful that he accomplishes his dream! 

After becoming a mechanic he started to know a lot of people across la Gonave and he enjoys his job very much because he loves the team and the patients so much.   

Adorable Baby Fleco and his HUGE fight for life: 

Charles Fleco was born on July 26th, 2023 with Hydrocephalus. 14 days after he was born, his mom took him to our office to see our pediatrician. Our Paediatrician reported that he was malnourished and had hydrocephalus. We accommodated him at our surgery house to monitor his malnutrition until he gains weight and once he gains his normal weight we organized to send him to HBM in Port au Prince for an x-ray. 

Following his x-ray, we planned for his consultation and surgery. At his age, we know that it is important to have surgery as quickly as possible.

During his stay in Port au Prince, baby Fleco became very sick with the flu, and because of that his neurosurgeon had to postpone his surgery. We were devastated. In the weeks that came after, the crisis of insecurity and gang activity became severe. Baby Fleco and his Mom were stayed across the road from the international airport and gangs took over a lot of this area, leading to the shutdown indefinitely of Port au Prince International and Domestic airports. 

As the chaos continued, we got notified that the hospitals had to close. To protect his life, For You Haiti acted very quickly and brought baby Fleco back to La Gonave. 

We are monitoring the situation every single day because when he first came to our office his head measured 41.2 cm but now it is 75cm. The gangs have affected all walks of life, even innocent children like baby Fleco who desperately need brain surgery to survive. We will continue the fight for him. Please continue to pray for him.