Lakeside Medical Center surgeon Daniel B. Kairys, M.D., was among the first wave of medical responders after the devastating earthquake in Haiti. Just days after the quake, he and his Haitian-born wife, Junia, a physicians assistant, made their way to the capital city of Port-au-Prince as part of Project Medishare for Haiti, a non-profit medical relief organization, to provide medical care to those injured in the disaster. After three days of caring for victims of this hard-hit community, he came away moved by their gratitude in the midst of such pain and devastation.
“The quietness of their suffering is hard to describe,” Dr. Kairys said. “They were thankful for the small amount we were doing, and they had the willingness to sit and wait until we could get to them. There was very little complaining.”
Dr. Daniel B. Kairys with is wife, Junia. Photo credit: Project Medishare for Haiti.
Dr. Kairys estimates he and the Project Medishare team treated approximately 200 patients during his time in Haiti, providing care in an environment lacking key medical facilities, such as operating rooms. Many patients needed immediate surgery, but without proper surgical tools and equipment, there was no way for the surgeon to do his work. For Dr. Kairys, a father of three, there was an emotional impact caring for the children who found their way to the facility, some with severe injuries such as open fractures and large tissue loss. Many had lost both of their parents in the earthquake.
“We really didnt treat patients. That was the problem. We mostly provided comfort care to those that came to our facility. Thats all we could do,” he said.
Dr. Kairys would like to return to Haiti soon, this time working in the rural communities where there was limited medical care even before the earthquake. This recent experience has reinforced his desire to continue to work with the Haitian community right here at home.
