FAMILY HOSTS HAITIAN CHILD FOR LIFE-SAVING OPERATION

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Dr. Benjamin C. Warf

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Town and Country newspaper (Published 3/20/08 Edition; Volume 108, No. 51)

By Sergei Blair-Town and Country Correspondent

When 12-month-old Brenda smiles, the dimples on both sides of her cheeks reveal something that is hard to understand for a lot of people-an obscure joy.

Brenda Jean-Baptiste, a Haitian girl who suffers from Hydrocephalus, a condition which causes excessive swelling in the brain resulting in abnormal skull growth, is staying temporarily with the Myers family of Zionsville. The family is hosting her as part of an arranged international medical care treatment.

Angel Missions Haiti (AMH), a non-profit Christian humanitarian organization based in Salem, Virginia, partners with many medical professionals and host families across the country to provide medical treatments to children of Haiti who suffer from life-threatening conditions.

Since medical facilities are not easily accessible in developing countries like Haiti, AMH brings the neediest children to the United States where they receive free medical care. The children are placed in the care of host families after arriving and while they recuperate from medical procedures before returning home. 

According to Kim and John Myers, Brenda was in severe pain from her untreated condition when she came to their home this past New Year’s Eve.

“I believe it saved her life having her come when she did,” said Kim.

The couple further explained that it was a miracle in itself that Brenda’s parents heard about the opportunity for their daughter to go overseas and receive the much-needed surgery since there’s no common way of technological communication except by means of word of mouth.

The Myers, who had visited Haiti many times before on various mission and adoption trips, said the Haitian government can’t do anything in terms of medical help. It can only issue visas for children to fly them to the United States.

“The feeling that came over me when I held her for the first time was how special she is,” John explained. “Even though she has many issues, she’s a special in God’s sight and that’s the way we should treat others.”

On January 3, Brenda underwent a successful surgery at Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware. The 45-minute operation was led by the world-renown Pediatric Neurosurgeon, Dr. Benjamin C. Warf.

“The surgery went very well,” Dr. Warf explained. “I performed an endoscopic third ventriculostomy and choroid plexus cauterization (ETV/CPC). This will hopefully allow the condition to be treated without sending her back to Haiti dependent upon a shunt device. Thus far, I am happy with the result in Brenda.”

During the ETV procedure, an endoscope is inserted in a hole drilled in the brain to drain the build-up of spinal fluid. Heat is then applied to cauterize the defective areas.

The overall cost of the procedure totaled close to $40,000, but according to Dr. Warf all of the costs are covered through the generosity of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children/Nemours Children’s Clinic.

According to Dr. Warf, even after the procedure, Brenda’s adult-size head will not reduce  significantly in size but will stay as it is until her body slowly catches up to its size.

Following her surgery, Brenda’s eating habits became a concern for Myers as she refused to eat the food she was provided. Instead, Kim said she used a nasal feeding tube because she was not interested in sucking a bottle. Soon after, the baby showed interest in solid food like rice, cereal, mango and her favorite, bananas. 

Besides playing a host to a Haitian child, Haiti signifies even something more to Kim and John. In 1986, both traveled to this underdeveloped country on a mission trip and immediately felt a special connection there from the start. In November 2004, they adopted a son, Lubens, whom they met in Haiti a year earlier.

The couple, who don’t have biological children of their own, say Lubens, who is now 7 years old, likes to take care of his host sister by taking her on walks in a stroller, sharing his toys and even singing to her songs when she cries. When asked the kind of songs he sings to Brenda, Lubens gently kissed her on a forehead and replied, “Rock-a bye-Brenda.”

“To see the joy Brenda has when Lubens holds her and sings to her is just so special…words can’t even describe,” said John.

On March 26, Brenda is expected to undergo her last examination with Dr. Warf before he could give her a clean bill of health. “[The upcoming examination is] to determine that her abnormal head growth has stopped and that she is free from signs and symptoms of hydrocephalus at this point,” he said.

If the examination concludes that Brenda is able to return back home to her parents for further recovery, she will leave the United States sometime in the middle of April.

“Years back I never really thought about doing what we’re doing now. But its amazing how God brings these opportunities to you because they’re all around us,” said John, “You just got to be alert to them.”

For more information about the Angel Missions Haiti, and how you can help, please visit www.angelmissionshaiti.org