Tity is a 19 month old boy who came to clinic 3 weeks ago with edema involving his whole body, high fever and low oxygen. Turns out he was extremely anemic (hematocrit 10%) and had malaria. He needed a blood transfusion ASAP. We talked to his mom about sending Tity to a hospital by ambulance for a blood transfusion. She said she needed to go home and talk to her husband first. So she left him at clinic. He was placed on oxygen with good improvement in his oxygen saturation. He was also treated for malaria and the fever resolved. Unfortunately, his mother did not come back. We were able to locate Tity’s father. However, he had no money to pay for a hospitalization. Blood transfusions are very difficult to arrange in Haiti. Fortunately, a hospital in Port au Prince said they could arrange for a transfusion AND the hospitalization would be sponsored. So Tity was transferred via one of our clinic vehicles on portable oxygen to Cabaret, where he was then transferred to a Hero ambulance and taken to Bernard Mevs. He was hospitalized for several days, received multiple blood transfusions and then was transferred back to the Rescue Center. His anemia had resolved. He was continued on treatment for the edema, which has now completely resolved. It is amazing how the pieces fell into place for this little one to receive the treatment he so desperately needed. Praise be to God!

Unfortunately, too many patients die in Haiti because not enough blood is donated. By the grace of God, this was not the case for Tity. However, if you visit Haiti you could prayerfully consider helping with this problem by donating blood at the Red Cross donation center in Port au Prince.