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Pleased with its investment in prostheticsBy Angela BlackburnOAKVILLE BEAVER STAFFThe Lions Club of Oakville made a goodinvestment in Haiti.After the massive Jan. 12 earthquake of 2010, the Lions Club of Oakville, in conjunc-tion with the Emergency Services (EMS)Oakville, Halton Canine and Oakville TrafalgarLions Club, was at Hopedale Mall collecting tosupport its efforts to provide prosthetics tothose who lost limbs in the earthquake.The resulting $5,000 was earmarked forHaiti. However the local service club, whosehistory dates back 75 years in town, wanted tohelp with something very tangible the reha-bilitation of many of those whod lost limbs as aresult of injury in the earthquake.Haiti is the prosthetics capital of the world,said long-time Lion Bill Allison.He goes on to explain that while manyHaitian residents lost limbs or had amputationsSUBMITTED PHOTOSin the wake of injuries sustained in the earth-quake, the lack of antibiotics to treat injuriesHELPING IN HAITI: Halton resident Karen MacKenzie-Stepner (above in white T-shirt) works with Haitian residents who are deaf as a volunteermade amputation a regular practice in Haitiwith Team Canada Healing Hands for Haiti. At right, tent cities that are being replaced by wooden structures as the country strives to rebuild.even prior to the earthquake.With car accidents a regular occurrence onnot only in providing prosthetics, but in reha-While the $5,000 local funds will help with about him on the Internet and as friends posted the island, there are a lot of soft-tissue wounds.bilitation for those Haitians who are disabled.all the efforts, Healing Hands Haiti has Haitian, memorial messages, he turned up alive.Those wounds, left untreated, often becomeIt got the clinic up and running in a rentedU.S. and Canadian branches. It also has some To some, at first blush, progress has been infected and without antibiotics, they lead tofacility soon after the earthquake and got downmajor supports such as Physicians for Peace, slow after the quake, said MacKenzie-Stepner amputation.to work in providing prosthetics and rehabilita-(Paul) Newmans Own Foundation, the when asked what she found upon her return. The Lions Club knew the need and it wastion. By all accounts, it is a lead agency doing soInternational Committee for the Red Cross However, she also noted a close look reveals ready to put locally-raised funds to good use.in Haiti.(ICRC) Special Fund for the Disabled and the areas in the region have made great strides. The The only question was, how to do it.In 2010, it manufactured and fitted 399Jain Centre of Southern California.Healing Hands Haiti effort is one of them.Allison said the club was coming up emptylimbs, 466 orthotic devices and provided 250MacKenzie-Stepner had been in Haiti prior Upon meeting with MacKenzie-Stepner on finding an organization in Canada that waswheelchairs to Haitian residents.to the earthquake and returned late in 2010. It recently to review the local donation and what directly affiliated with a prosthetics clinic inAt the same time, when faced with re-estab-was months after the earthquake, but she came of it, Allison appeared happy to report the Haiti. That is, until it connected with Karenlishing its operations in a rented facility withwasnt sure what to expect given reports of local Lions club had invested locally-donated MacKenzie-Stepner in Georgetown.dreams of its own facility brewing, it is takingcholera outbreaks, slow progress, political tur-dollars wisely.Most days, MacKenzie-Stepner is the direc-the leap and building a physical medicine andmoil and more.MacKenzie-Stepner is happy that Healing tor/owner of the Halton Hills Speech Centre.rehabilitation institution that will offer medi-I was apprehensive, I didnt know what I Hands Haiti will be better equipped to do the However every now and again she can becal/surgery assistance in its hospital wing aswas going back to, she said.job it does so well, and hopes that over time, found in Haiti. Shes been on volunteer mis-well as manufacture prosthetics and, inShe said she found friends who had lived now with even so many of the medical practi-sions there nine times.between, provide gyms and other facilities forthrough the ordeal and heard of others who tioners in Haiti having been injured or lost Thats because, even prior to the earthquake,rehabilitation and counselling.hadnt. One person she knows saw his daughter limbs in the earthquake, that attitudes toward MacKenzie-Stepner was a volunteer with TeamThats where MacKenzie-Stepner has beenburied under their home for three days before the disabled will, like the landscape itself Canada of the Healing Hands for Haiti.involved volunteering as an audio and speechshe was freed, said MacKenzie-Stepner.become a phoenix out of the ashes and signal Healing Hands for Haiti operated the Kaypathologist, with those who are deaf.Another had had a memorial tribute posted change for the better in Haiti.Kapab Klinik in Port-au-Prince and specializedCommunity is banding together to help Brooklyn MillsA day of family fun on Sunday, Feb. 27 willschool and will not graduate with her twin mately $50,000 which has been denied by For those who simply wish to donate, itsalso see the community, including celebritiesbrother in June of this year. She spends most of OHIP. possible through Paypal at www.theilcfounda-like Mike Holmes from Holmes on Homes,her days in bed and her quality of life has been In an effort to raise awareness of EDS and to tion.org.band together for one of its 17-year-old resi-severely compromised. help raise funds for the expensive, but promis-All proceeds will support the cause.dents.Brooklyn has been refused admission to ing treatment, Brooklyns family and friends The event runs from 1-5 p.m. Holmes willBrooklyn Mills, 17, was an Oakville Trafalgarintensive pain management programs based on are hosting the fundraising event at Philthy be available from 1-3 p.m. while the event whileHigh School student when, in October of 2009,the severity of her condition and the fact that McNastys, 379 Speers Rd., on Feb. 27 at 1 p.m.clown Jeannie the Jelly Bean paints faces andshe woke up with a severe pain in her lowershe was not an adult. There will be live music, a silent auction and tattoos for kids. back. Since that morning, Brooklyn has beenAs a last resort, Brooklyns parents took her Celebrity guests such as Holmes. There will be hairdos and makeup applica-seen by countless doctors and specialists, beento the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.Money will be raised through ticket sales and tions, a 50/50 draw, door prizes, food tastinghospitalized several times, and finally diagnosedBrooklyn saw several specialists at the clinic through a silent auction held at the event. and more.with a genetic connective tissue disorder calledand the unanimous conclusion was to have All proceeds will go towards Brooklyns A comedian will perform at 3 p.m. and thereEhlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) a fairly rareBrooklyn participate in a four-week intensive treatment and to support other local children will be a silent auction featuring items fromdisorder that affects one in 5,000 people.program which they have advised would get her with connective tissue disorders such as EDS.snow boards and spa certificates to a privateBrooklyns condition has steadily deterio-pain controlled without any narcotics, have her Tickets cost $20 (children under 14 get in concert with the Tom Barlow Band.rated to the point where she can no longer walkwalking again and have her back to school for free) and can be purchased at the Oakville Laser The rock cover band Liquid Courage will beand is now confined to a wheelchair.the final semester of the current year.Clinic, 2427 Trafalgar Rd. or by calling 905-845-on stage at 4 p.m. while an after show and fund-She has missed more than a year of highThe total cost of the program is approxi-8346.raising jam night will get underway at 5 p.m.www.insideHALTON.com OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, February 18, 2011 16