Bethesda O'Connell, East Tennessee State University
The comprehensive report that I have been creating of a baseline study has proven to be a challenge and a great learning experience. I have learned how to use SPSS software more fully and gained a better understanding of application of biostatistics and epidemiologic concepts I learned in the classroom. Having to actually use information always brings a new level of understanding. I have called upon colleagues within my network at the ETSU College of Public Health to help me along the way. After finishing up some literature review for recommendations, my report will be ready to submit to the organization by February 14.FGHL Blog: Beth O'Connell - Debunking Myths of a Cursed Child: Addressing Abuse and Malnutrition in Guatemala
Malnutrition
Feb 07 2014
Bethesda O'Connell, East Tennessee State University
Day 1, GuatemalaI spent my first night in Guatemala City with Christian Aponte, director of CAFNIMA, my host organization. He helped me review the report I have been working on of the household survey data. We have been fine tuning it to be the most helpful to the organization and people. From there, I took a five-hour bus ride to Cobán and a two-hour truck ride to the Ulpán Valley.
What is MDG4 (and Why Does It Matter)?
Feb 05 2014
Senator Bill Frist, MD and Jenny Dyer, PhD
Five years ago, Save the Children asked me to chair their Newborn and Child Survival Campaign. In 1990, over 12 million kids were dying every year; that is, over 33,000 children were dying every single day from preventable, treatable disease.Today, the statistics have changed. We have almost cut that number in half. The goal for Millennium Development Goal #4 to reduce child mortality by 2/3 is within our grasp. The numbers show that almost 6.6 million children die per year, or about 18,000 children per day. The good news is that we are making progress.
Kate Etue
Saturday night, December 14, Senator Bill Frist, MD, was honored to present Brad Paisley with the Harmony Award at the Nashville 29th annual Symphony Ball. This prestigious prize is given to someone who exemplifies musical excellence and serves the community by making a difference in people's lives.
Hope Through Healing Hands has had the privilege of working with Paisley on the Water=Hope Campaign, which provides clean water to communities in Haiti. Read more about the evening at TasteofCountry.com.
photo by Terry Wyatt, Getty Images
Good News for the Global Fund
Dec 17 2013
Kate Etue
In 2000, Senator William H. Frist, MD, was a founding co-chair with then Senator John Kerry of the first bi-partisan task force on HIV/AIDS, which led to the creation of the groundbreaking PEPFAR plan and ultimately paved the way for the Global Fund, which is dedicated to fighting AIDS, TB, and malaria worldwide. Just a few weeks ago in Washington, DC, a group of international leaders met, including the President of the United States and Bill Gates, to rally financial support for the fourth replenishment of the Global Fund. Sec. Kerry acknowledge the crucial leadership role that Senator Frist provided in the early days of the fight against HIV/AIDS.
J. Stephen Morrison and Katherine Bliss of the Global Health Policy Center wrote about this meeting and what it means for the global fund in "Refueling the Global Fund."
Why Does the Global Fund Matter?
Dec 04 2013
Kate Etue
Since the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria's inception, the US has been a leader in supporting it, and will continue to do so in the future. But why? In this short video, Gayle Smith, Special Assistant to the President and a Senior Director at the National Security Council explains why the Global Fund is important to America and how we're working with other nations to make global health an even more important priority worldwide.
If you want to know more about Senator William H. Frist, MD's involvement on the board of CSIS, watch what he has to say about Health and our Common Humanity.
Kate Etue is Director of Communications for Hope Through Healing Hands.
Live Beyond: Give Life to Marie
Jun 18 2013
Dr. David Vanderpool
Marie is struggling today in the oppressive Haitian sun.It's not that it's hotter than usual today, it's always hot here, but as the baby grows in Marie's womb, he takes the last of the nutrients out of Marie's already depleted body and today she feels it more than ever. She thinks of her other six children and remembers how hard their births were as she cried out on the dirt floor of her mud hut with only her sister to help her. She sees the faces of her two little ones that she laid to rest in that same dirt the year before.
GHSC Becomes SEED Global Health
May 17 2013
It is with great pleasure that today we announce Global Health Service Corps (GHSC) is changing its name to Seed Global Health. As many of you know, we have been considering a name change over this past year to better capture the full scope and mission of our work and to better distinguish our cause. We believe this new name better represents our efforts to cultivate stronger, sustainable health systems through training new generations of physicians and nurses in countries where they are needed most.
The next two weeks I found myself much better able to engage in the hospital system. Now I had learned the names of Benson, Mugo, Humphries all clinical officer or medical officer interns. It became my pleasure on night and weekend call to lead them through surgical triage or procedures. On subsequent calls I was able to help one of the medical officer interns through two chest tube placements. These patients had spontaneous pneumothoraces, but were not in extremis, thus I could take my time and coach the intern through the procedure. By the second placement, Mugo was able to anesthetize the patient appropriately, make the incision, and perform this life saving procedure. He remained a bit tentative, but I had seen vast improvement by this second time. These guys and gals are the front line of the Kenyan medical system, and are seeing patients in isolated places with no surgeons, or even residency trained physicians available. Teaching Mugo to place a chest tube well could benefit multiple Kenyan patients in the future.