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News & Events . . .


Haitian Quake Victim Walks Again

Surgeons orchestrate 11-hour leg operation
   - by Wendi Winters, for The Capital. Published 3/17/10
 

Minutes before the quake hit, Michel Thomalus slipped into a back pew at a parish church, the Eglise Saint-Louis Roi de France, to participate in its Tuesday afternoon service.

The 130-year-old Catholic landmark in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, was filled with worshipers.

"At 4:50 (p.m.), I felt the church shaking," the 29-year-old said months later from his hospital bed at Anne Arundel Medical Center. "I was scared. The church fell."

Both of his legs were broken; one had a compound fracture so severe that it tore open his leg. A younger brother pulled him from the rubble. Thomalus later learned that another brother and a cousin had not been as fortunate.

Soon after, the soccer player was under the care of Arnold-based The Helping Hands Foundation and was on a journey that would lead to Anne Arundel County and the restoration of his mangled legs.

            Read more ....
Michell Arrives From Haiti For Reconstructive Surgery

A 28 year old Haitian soccer player arrived yesterday from Haiti for reconstructive surgery to his leg.  Michel Thomelus suffered bilateral lower leg fractures during the January 12th earthquake that devastated Haiti.  Michel was initially treated by American surgeons on the ground in Haiti as part of the initial emergency relief efforts.  The initial surgery stabilized the injuries but left him with a sizeable soft tissue and bone defect in his leg.  Helping Hands was contacted by the treating surgeons in hope that we might be able to provide the definitive surgical reconstructive procedures necessary to save Michel's leg.  The initial treating surgeon in Haiti stated during his call "...I think Michel has a salvageable leg if we can get him the necessary reconstructive procedures. Unfortunately they are not available in Haiti and if he remains here he will undoubtedly lose the leg."  Michel is doing well after his first airplane flight ever.  He was greeted at the airport by Helping Hands board members and is already enjoying home cooked Haitian meals made by his host family who is originally from Port Au Prince, Haiti.

Helping Hands Foundation Begins Efforts to Help Haitian Earthquake Victims

Helping Hands Board members have initiated efforts to provide surgical relief to Haitian earthquake victims.  Through its established infrastructure of a supportive regional medical center, network of reconstructive orthopaedic and plastic surgeons, and a community network experienced and willing to host visiting patients and families, the board feels they are well positioned to provide what will likely be a longstanding need for Helping Hands services.  Dialogue between Helping Hands board members and established relief organizations currently on the ground in Haiti have already begun.

For more information, please contact Helping Hands at info@helpinghandsfoundation.us



Doctors Race Bicycles Across America to Support Helping Hands

Four physicians from Annapolis will race in this year's Race Across America(RAAM).  Anesthesiologists Bill Vickers and Rich Hardart will be joined by Orthopaedic Surgeons Garth Smith and Jeffrey Gelfand.  Team Doc2Dock will race their bicycles from Oceanside, California to the City Dock in Annapolis, Maryland to help raise money for The Helping Hands Foundation and The Annapolis Wellness House.

"Team Doc2Doc is a group of doctors who love bicycling and have always dreamt of cycling thru the scenery that our Country offers. In many respects, this will be a Big Adventure for us. However, we are competitive cyclists and will be racing Dock to Dock, partly for the environment but also to encourage a healthy lifestyle. Cycling not only increases life longevity, but has an acute net impact on the environment. Cycling can help reduce cholesterol, lessen cardiovascular disease, and reduce the incidence of obesity and diabetes. In the US, we have 2.5 million deaths per year from cardiovascular disease, in comparison to only 700 bicycle related deaths per year. Simply, cycling is good for you.

We couldn't think of a more environmentally conscious manner in which to enjoy America. We plan on racing as fast as possible, but also hope to set new carbon offset and MPG records for our crossing and in the support vehicles we use. We hope to prove that RAAM can be a low impact form of cross country travel.
 
RAAM races from a pier in Oceanside, California and finishes on City Dock in our hometown of Annapolis, Maryland on the Chesapeake Bay. 

We  are soliciting donations to the Annapolis Wellness House for patients and families dealing with cancer and for the Helping Hands Foundation. We ask you to take a minute and please donate to these great causes."

For more information, please visit http://www.teamdoc2doc.org/teamdoc2doc/Welcome.html.



Team to Travel to South America to Instruct in Microsurgery

Helping Hands has begun planning a surgical trip to South America to instruct local surgeons in microsurgical techniques. These skills will enable the local surgeons to perform complex reconstructive procedures.  Examples of microsurgical procedures include replantation, transplant, and free tissue procedures(see 'Success Stories' - Rocio)

Teaching in Romania



Dr. Harries teaching knee arthroscopy in Suceava, Romania.



Dr. Tom Harries, Dr. Stefan Puscasu and Dr. Jeff Gelfand during a January '08 trip to Romania.
 

Helping Hands Foundation

Helping Hands Foundation - Annapolis, Maryland  21401