Kvedars on enlightening return to Haitian orphanage

By DAN TOMASELLO

LYNNFIELD — Local ophthalmologist Dr. Vicki Kvedar and her daughter Julie returned home last week after volunteering at the Be Like Brit orphanage in Haiti.

Be Like Brit is named after Rutland native Britney Gengel, who was killed in the massive earthquake that hit Haiti in January 2010. Britney had just arrived in Haiti on a college-sponsored mission trip offered by Lynn University.

After the earthquake hit, Dr. Kvedar recalled seeing Britney’s father, Len, on the news desperately searching for his missing daughter. Thirty-three days after the earthquake, Britney’s body was recovered from the rubble of her hotel. Afterwards, Len and Cheryl Gengel decided to build an orphanage in their daughter’s memory. It took three years to build the orphanage.

Britney Gengel’s story resonated with the Kvedars. Dr. Kvedar, who works at North Shore Ophthalmologists, 467 Main Street, Melrose, and Julie, a Lynnfield High School Class of 2009 graduate who works at Maimonides Medical Center in New York City, decided to visit the orphanage on a medical mission for the first time last year.

The Kvedars returned to the orphanage on a second medical mission January 11-18. Dr. Kvedar said returning to Be Like Brit was an incredibly rewarding experience once again.

“The second trip was as meaningful as the first,” said Dr. Kvedar. “This time, however, it felt like I was returning home, since I knew many of the staff and children as well as the facilities.”

Dr. Kvedar said the orphanage has “changed in so many ways in a year.”

“It is filled to capacity with orphans and workers, with not an inch of free space now,” said Dr. Kvedar. “There are 33 girls and 33 boys, to represent the 33 days it took to locate Britney Gengel’s body.”

Dr. Kvedar said Be Like Brit now includes a playground, an artificial turf courtyard, a fruit and vegetable garden, solar panels and computers. Students are also learning how to dance and swim, as well as play soccer and volleyball. They are also are learning to speak English.

The Kvedars conducted eye examinations at the orphanage from 8 a.m.-9 p.m. every day. The Kvedars brought down over 700 pairs of glasses this year, which were donated by mostly Lynnfield and Melrose residents.

“The outpouring of support with eyeglass donations was unbelievable this year,” said Dr. Kvedar.

Dr. Kvedar said they were able to treat all 66 children and 78 adult staff members. She said seven adult workers were diagnosed with glaucoma, which she said was the “most serious diagnosis.”

“We had brought down enough eye drops, donated by Allergan Pharmaceuticals, to treat these people for a year, as they will require daily eye drops,” said Dr. Kvedar.

Dr. Kvedar said a number of patients were suffering from eye diseases due to “the bright sun and constant burning of trash.” She said donated nonprescription sunglasses and artificial tears were the most popular treatments for many patients. She said both children and adults were incredibly thankful to receive donated eyeglasses as well.

“The eyeglasses were greatly appreciated by both children and adults,” said Dr. Kvedar. “Many children who didn’t need glasses continued to beg for them whenever they saw Julie and me.”

The Kvedars also spent two days volunteering at a walk-in medical clinic located down the street from the orphanage.

“With very little advanced warning, they had lined up a day’s worth of patients with eye problems who needed an ophthalmologist,” said Dr. Kvedar. “I don’t understand how they could get the word out that I was coming, since they don’t have electricity, phones or Internet, but apparently word of mouth is all that is needed. We managed to help every patient who came in, or at least refer them in the right direction for surgery, which I couldn’t do there without an operating room.”

The Kvedars also experienced what life is like at Be Like Brit. The Kvedars enjoyed watching children perform at a talent show and celebrating orphans’ birthdays with “cake and dancing.” One of the most somber moments of the trip took place on Jan. 12, when the Kvedars attended a prayer service “at the exact moment of the fifth anniversary of the earthquake.”

Additionally, the Kvedars took two trips outside of the orphanage as well. They took a drive into the mountains, where they saw how “impoverished and isolated” the Haitian people are first hand.

“Their school was made of tarps and benches, with tarps separating classrooms,” recalled Dr. Kvedar. “Their church’s stonewalls were crumbled from the earthquake, but since the roof, altar, parts of walls and floor were intact, it was still in use. Every child we saw was carrying a jug of water, since they have no running water.”

The Kvedars also took a group of children and adults to a “beautiful beach on the Caribbean.” Dr. Kvedar said the trip was surreal.

“It was difficult to believe poverty lurked just a few feet away,” said Dr. Kvedar. “We spent time teaching the children how to swim, playing in the water and encouraging them to enjoy the water instead of fearing it. Most of the children and adult workers had never been to the beach before coming to the orphanage, even though it was a mere 20-minute drive away.”

Even though life is challenging for the 66 children at Be Like Brit, Dr. Kvedar said they are thriving.

“The children appear very happy and well cared for,” said Dr. Kvedar. “They now have three healthy meals a day, a shower, a toilet, school, clean clothes, someone to do their hair, medical care, various lessons, numerous loving adults to dote on them and their own bed. None of them had any of these privileges before coming to the orphanage.”

Dr. Kvedar said it was rewarding helping adults as well as children. She said one of the workers she diagnosed with glaucoma last year did not take his eye drops because he did not understand the severity of the disease. After Dr. Kvedar warned the gentleman he was in danger of going blind, he became the orphanage’s glaucoma advocate.

“He explained the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis to all the other glaucoma patients that I discovered,” said Dr. Kvedar. “He is thanking God for Be Like Brit because that brought he and I together in Haiti so that I could diagnose and treat his condition. He said that if he were blind in Haiti, he might as well be dead.”

Dr. Kvedar said she believes she and Julie will be volunteering at Be Like Brit annually.

“Julie and I have become quite attached to the children and workers at the orphanage and the medical clinic down the street, said Dr. Kvedar. “Although it’s a drop in the bucket compared to how many people in Haiti need help, we have at least touched the lives of some. They have also touched and improved our lives. It is in giving that we receive.”

Dr. Kvedar encouraged residents to visit www.belikebrit.org to learn more about the orphanage and how to help the children who call the orphanage home.

“There is a wish list of items they need, such as batteries to keep solar power going around the clock,” said Dr. Kvedar. “Right now the donated solar panels work great during the day, but electricity shuts off as soon as the sun goes down. They then have to switch over to Haiti’s electric grid, which is unpredictable at best. It shut down most days we were there for at least a short period of time.”

Dr. Kvedar also encouraged people to visit Haiti on either a medical mission or to help build a house for a needy family. If people are unable to visit Haiti, she encouraged people to give monetary donations.

“I guarantee that every dollar/minute you donate will go to the children or to poor people in the community,” said Dr. Kvedar.

If residents would like to discuss Be Like Brit with Dr. Kvedar or make a donation, they can contact Dr. Kvedar at her Melrose office, 467 Main St. Melrose, MA 02176, or by calling her at 781-662-2216.