Annett Royce was deployed to Orlando for 2 weeks in February. During her stay Annett served on one of the outreach teams that visited injured Haitians in the area hospitals. She says many of the patients she treated suffered from gangrene and other infections.

“The Haitian people, even after enduring the nightmare of the earthquake and then being transported to Orlando, were some of the most resilient, grateful, family-oriented, nice people I’ve dealt with. I never heard a complaint or negative comment. They were just so thankful for what we were doing for them,” said Annett Royce.

Annett has several heart-wrenching stories about the patients she saw and how their families are coping with their injuries and the aftermath of the earthquake. One such story is of a father with a seven year old daughter. The girl was in the hospital being treated for an infection in her leg.  The father was talking to Annett and said that once the girl got better he wanted to go back to Haiti to help rebuild his community. But, he said, every time I talk with my daughter about it, she gets hysterical and says she never wants to go back. This is just one example of the stories Annett can share with you.

The outreach teams, like the one Annett served on, consisted of a registered nurse and a caseworker. The caseworker’s role was to assist the family in their immediate emergency needs and the nurse assisted with their medical needs.

You can help the victims of countless crises, like the recent earthquake in Haiti, around the world each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, which will provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster, please do so at the time of your donation by mailing your donation with the designation to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013 or to your local American Red Cross chapter. Donations to the International Response Fund can be made by phone at 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish) or online at www.redcross.org.

For more information about services and programs offered by the Alabama Gulf Coast Chapter of the American Red Cross please contact (251) 438-2571 or visit www.redcrossalcoast.org.

# # #