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TOUS SOLIDAIRES: Referring physicians abroad

16.07.2020 - Medical

In order to receive the medical files of children awaiting surgery and to ensure the medical follow-up of those who have already been operated on, we are very happy to be able to count on the invaluable help of numerous doctors practicing in the countries from which the children come. Among them is Emmeline Lerebours, a pediatrician in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, with whom we have been working for almost 10 years. In this article, she talks about the importance of her role in the great chain of solidarity formed by Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque.

"I've been working with Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque since 2011. I first had the privilege of benefiting from training in pediatric cardiology in Paris in June 2011, which I was immediately able to apply on my return to Haiti. Thanks to my new knowledge, I sent a first medical file of a child with a heart condition, which was studied and accepted for treatment. The child was 5 years old and had a complex malformation. He was successfully operated on in France and is doing well today.

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My role as the Association's referral doctor is multifaceted:

- As a pediatrician, I make sure that the child's file to be referred to Prof. Francine Leca's team is complete and well filled in.

- I then became a social worker and administrative secretary. As such, I make sure that the parents and the child, depending on their age, understand the reasons why the child needs to travel. I obtain their consent, explain how the Association works, and reassure them about the various stages involved: passport procedures, visas, homestays, etc. I assure them that I'll be there for them. I assure them that I'll be with them every step of the way. I'm also looking for sponsors to help finance administrative costs and plane tickets. "

Thanks to the help of Emmeline and an association in Haiti, children with heart problems are identified at the Saint-Damien hospital in Port-au-Prince. They come from all over the country to be examined in the cardiology department. Our teams then select the children who can be cared for, and it's once they've been operated on and returned to Haiti that Emmeline's mission begins again.

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Children operated on by Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque are followed for life, and I keep in touch with them whenever possible. As I'm very involved in each child's journey, there's a story associated with each of them. I'll never forget Valentina's story. Living in an orphanage, I only had two days to deal with the administrative formalities for her stay in France. With the support of the French Consul, who sensed my distress, he intervened and said to me: 'Doctor, don't worry, the child will leave on time and on schedule, I'll accompany her to the airport and the plane will wait for her if necessary'. He took care of all the formalities and Valentina was able to fly to France on schedule, accompanied by the Consul in person and the Police at the head of the motorcade. It was a real victory for this little girl, who returned home healed and happy! Working with Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque brings me nothing but joy. Finalizing administrative procedures in time in Haiti is an epic: you have to plan everything in advance, and seeing it come to fruition gives you a sense of satisfaction. Then, receiving news of the children during their stay in France is accompanied by stress, as parents have to be reassured. The news of a death is catastrophic and takes a lot out of you, but most of the children come back to us healed and in great shape. The parents' gratitude towards me and the children's expressions of love fill me with happiness.

Emmeline LereboursReferring doctor Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque in Haiti