09/10/2025
Although times remain difficult in Haiti, Hôpital Albert Schweitzer carries on providing life saving care to the ever-increasing population arriving at its doors. While our annual Haiti Happening and Golf Tournament fund raisers are no longer possible, our fund-raising efforts and the contributions we receive, for the Maternal and Child Health Care Programs, are as important as ever. Read on to learn how you can partner with us and for updated news of the Hospital.
TREK2 HAS
TOE to “HEAL” TREK2HAS
The team at Canadian Friend of HAS invites you to join them throughout the month of October in putting your toes to “heal” as they put one foot in front of the other to collectively cover the 3,600 km distance from Hamilton to Deschapelle. Our goal is to raise $5,000 for the ongoing healing care and support for the women and children seeking health care at the hospital or community centers.
To register for your participation please see instructions at the end of the newsletter.
HAS UPDATE
Maternal and pediatric health is at the cornerstone of HAS’s mission. On May 5 the hospital hosted an intimate gathering to celebrate International Midwives Day. The dedicated midwives at HAS make it possible for it to safely facilitate hundreds of births each year, and the day was an opportunity to show the midwives just how deeply they are valued and appreciated.
Jean Marc DeMatteis the CEO of HAS recently shared the following news:
Today, I write to share both a sobering reality and a story of resilience unfolding in the Lower Artibonite region of Haiti. Violence in our area has escalated dramatically since spring, with horrific gang attacks on four towns, all within miles of Hôpital Albert Schweitzer. Well over 100,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in Mirebalais, Petite Rivière Lachapelle, Desarmes, many crossing the dangerous Artibonite River in search of safety. They are turning to HAS for help.
HAS shined like a beacon in responding to the crisis. To reach those unable to travel, our mobile health teams were immediately deployed to communities and camps and homes hosting displaced people, bringing health services to areas of greatest need. Through these mobile health clinics, we have already seen and treated thousands of patients. At our hospital, patient numbers have surged well beyond our usual 200-bed capacity, with an average of 240 inpatients per day.
In the face of this crisis, we reached out to our long-time partners at World Central Kitchen for help. Thanks to their support, desperately needed food relief efforts are underway. Our teams have been working tirelessly to provide displaced families with hot, nourishing meals, with 19 community kitchens set up to prepare and serve hot meals every day.
Yesterday, we reached an incredible milestone - 1 million meals served since May 22nd, all thanks to the support of WCK! This is an essential lifeline and boost of hope for those who would otherwise go hungry
These efforts have not only fed the hungry but also supported our local economy by hiring community cooks and purchasing ingredients from local farmers and vendors. Everday we see profound gratitude from families, community leaders, and children ---many of whom are receiving their only meal of the day through this initiative.
While we are implementing this massive emergency feeding program, our team is maintaining day to day operations at the hospital as well as in our community health division. Patient numbers remain higher than average for inpatient and outpatient services. But our heroic team continues to serve our patients and to keep everything up and running.
FUTURE EVENT
Mark your calendar for Thursday May 14, 2026. Drury Lane Theater in Burlington will hold a Benefit performance for CFHAS at 8 pm of The Gershwin music –“ Nice Work If You Can Get It.” Further details to come in the new year.
JOINING US FOR THE TREK2HAS HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:
We begin October 1 and will keep on going until October 31, 2023. Help us reach our goal of raising $5,000.00 by participating, donating and/or fund raising in support of the Maternal and Child Healthcare Programs. Through your participation and generosity can continue providing care and other essential services for the many women and children needing its help.
• Sign up – email Debbie at: [email protected] to register and provide the number of km you plan to cover over the month
• Walk , run , cycle , roller blade , and/or swim as you please • Invite the folks you know to travel along with us. It’s a fun way to get your daily exercise and enjoy the great outdoors. • Solicit donations/sponsors and/or make a personal donation.
HOW TO DONATE
Donations can be made online at www.cfhas.ca or by mailing a cheque payable to Canadian Friends of HAS to 9 Appalachian Trail, Hamilton, ON L9B 2X8. If your sponsors are donating online, please instruct them to click the “add special instructions to the seller” link and indicate they are sponsoring you. Donations can also be made through Canada Helps.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
JOIN US, LETS’S GO
• Start your journey on Oct 1st
• Send in a photo of you and/or your crew trekking to [email protected] so that we can share it on our website and page. Post your activity to your social media as well. Share a story as well.
• Weekly updates will be sent to you with our progress to date and any photos sent in will be shared with you.
