K of C program helps Haitian children who lost limbs in earthquake

Washington D.C., Aug 4, 2010 / 13:01 pm

Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson announced today that the Knights of Columbus will “come to the aid of every Haitian child who lost a limb in the January earthquake” that claimed nearly a quarter of a million lives.
 
The Knights of Columbus have been involved in efforts to assist the survivors of the earthquake in Haiti through their well-known wheelchair program. So far, 1,000 wheelchairs have been sent to the injured, and 1,000 more wheelchairs are slated for delivery over the next several months.

On Wednesday, during their 128th  Supreme Convention, the Knights of Columbus announced a new program – “Hope for Haiti’s Children” – to make assistance available to every child in Haiti who lost a limb in the earthquake.

Mr. Anderson announced during a press conference that the Board of Directors of the Knights of Columbus approved a resolution last weekend that commits the organization to providing prosthetic limbs and therapy over the next two years for all of the approximately 800 children who lost an arm or leg in the earthquake. The estimated cost of providing the prosthetic limbs and therapy is $1 million.

“We believe that this program for the injured children of Haiti will not only alleviate their mobility issues in the near term, but also will provide real, concrete hope for their future,” Anderson explained.

Each child will receive three prostheses and physical therapy over the course of a two year treatment program. The program will be administered by Medishare, which operates the University of Miami/Medishare hospital in Port-au-Prince, and is the premier children’s medical facility in Haiti.

Individuals can contribute with donations for the project at: http://www.kofc.org/un/eb/en/about/charities/relief.html