A text message that changed her life

Dr. Kate Bennett, anesthesiologist at Surrey Memorial Hospital, watched the events unfold after the earthquake hit the population of Haiti.  Moved by the devastation, Kate was deciding where to send her neat and tidy cheque when she received a text message from her friend, Dr. Donna Smith: “Might be going to Haiti for disaster relief.  Wanna come?”  It was the beginning of the most life-changing two weeks of her life.

Kate and the Canadian Medical Assistance Team (CMAT) team arrived at the Port-au-Prince border, greeted by eight armed guards.  “They unloaded our bus completely – medical supplies, food, packs – everything”, said Kate.  I have never been so scared in my life. I stuffed some cash and my passport in my pants and sat nervously.”  After paying a bribe, they arrived into Haiti.

“The destruction was beyond description”, explains Kate.  “Roads were cracked, there was no power, buildings were crumbled piles of rubble, and the smell of dead bodies filled the air.  Everywhere there were people and tent cities. It was absolute chaos.”

The CMAT team set-up their field hospital using school desks, cinder blocks and a stretcher as an operating table.  They saw over 200 people a day.  “I was in awe of their incredible strength”, describes Kate.  “They have gone through hell and back.  They are suffering with dehydration, festering wounds, broken femurs, and come to us looking for hope to save their smashed and infected hands, feet, legs.  I was humbled and overwhelmed.”

Each day presented a new challenge.  Working in the dark, with no x-ray machines or ultrasounds, the team did their best to fix broken arms and legs and provide spinal anesthetics.  “Each person had a story and one of the most heartbreaking tales came from a woman with a very badly burned hand.  She was cooking dinner for her family when the wall came down on her forearm trapping her hand on the flame until it burned out.”

For Kate, it was an unimaginable and life-changing experience. “The level of brilliance and commitment of my team humbled me. Through it, I learned joy, patience, sorrow, and forever will hold Haiti and its people in my heart.”

For more information or to view photos, visit the Canadian Medical Assistance Teams website.