Hanger Orthopedic Group Inc. and its philanthropic organization the Hanger Ivan R. Sabel Foundation announced the launch of the Haitian Amputee Coalition in partnership with Physicians for Peace, the Harold & Kayrita Anderson Family Foundation, and Donald Peck Leslie, MD, of the Shepherd Center. The Haitian Amputee Coalition is creating a long-term prosthetic and rehabilitation center on-site at the Hopital Albert Schweitzer (HAS), an undamaged local hospital with a high clinical reputation located 60 miles from Port-au-Prince in Deschapelles, Haiti.
“Consistent with the mission of the Hanger Ivan R. Sabel Foundation to improve human mobility through sustainable clinical care in the U.S. and abroad, the emphasis of the Haitian Amputee Coalition’s efforts in Haiti will be on creating a long-term, sustainable program of medical care, training, education, and supplies,” Ivan Sabel, chairman of the Hanger Ivan R. Sabel Foundation, said in a press release.
The Haitian Amputee Coalition prosthetic and rehabilitation center at HAS will be staffed by U.S. prosthetic experts from Hanger Orthopedic Group and Physicians for Peace in conjunction with local Haitian medical professionals and will be functional by the end of February.
“The magnitude of the human mobility tragedy in Haiti is staggering,” Hanger president and chief executive officer Tom Kirk said. “With partners such as Physicians for Peace and Dr. Leslie, as well as the highly-regarded Hospital Albert Schweitzer, we are confident we can restore mobility and functionality to a significant number of amputees in Haiti.”
