Within one week of the devastating earthquake in Haiti that killed hundreds of thousands and left even more without food, water or shelter, Advanced Holistic Health Center (AHHC) in Garden City sponsored nine chiropractors in conjunction with Mission-Chiropractic, a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) non-profit charity headed by Dr. Peter Morgan, on an emergency humanitarian response mission. Their goal was a simple one, to do whatever they could to prevent further loss of life and ease the suffering of people who had already endured such incredible hardship.

With limited time to prepare, the team managed to gather as much food, clothing and emergency medical supplies as they were allowed to travel with, as well as five water filtration systems that were graciously donated by Connecticut-based KX Technologies for the people of Haiti.

“Upon entering Port Au Prince, reality hit as we quickly realized the severity of the problem” says Scott Jahn, D.C., one of the doctors at AHHC. “It looked like a war zone. Every other building had been turned into rubble and the stench of death was absolutely nauseating. All over the city people were building fires on top of destroyed homes to mask the smell of human remains still trapped underneath.”

The team fought to deliver care in war-like conditions wherever they could by setting up makeshift clinics in empty fields or on patches of sidewalk. “Within minutes of arriving at a refugee camp, we were quickly overwhelmed by the number of injured.” recalls Dr. Jahn. “We saw everything from deep lacerations that were getting massively infected to broken bones and crushed limbs.” People were becoming seriously ill because of dehydration, famine and a simple lack of ability to keep their wounds clean. Despite the overwhelming odds, the team did their best to assist in the prevention of even higher mortality rates in the aftermath of the earthquake.

Upon leaving Haiti, Dr. Jahn recalls the simple message echoed by so many of the refugees in Haiti; “Please do not forget about us.” In response to this plea, the Mission-Chiropractic Relief Team are planning a succession of trips to Haiti to provide continued relief aid, support and care, with the next trip scheduled for the first week in March.

“I firmly believe my mission in life is to constantly help others,” states Dr. Morgan, the leader of Mission-Chiropractic He also likes to remind us that “Even one person can make a difference and touch the lives of so many others especially in a tragic situation such as that currently in Haiti.” If you are interested in finding out more about how you can help with this humanitarian effort, please visit http://missionlifeintl.com

In closing, the doctors and staff at AHHC would like to extend their sincerest gratitude to all those locally who so quickly came together to support their mission, including Food for Thought in Garden City and our many patients and friends who donated money, food, medical supplies and clothing. By working together, we can help to heal the pain and suffering of our friends around the world.