Bradenton Herald Logo

Local surgeons head for Haiti with supplies; update from Dominican | Bradenton Herald

×
  • E-edition
  • Home
    • Customer Service
    • Mobile & Apps
    • Archives
    • Buy Photos and Pages
    • Contact Us
    • Newsletters
    • Subscribe
    • Subscriber Services

    • News
    • Crime
    • Local
    • Databases
    • Education
    • Lakewood Ranch Herald
    • Lottery
    • Nation & World
    • Politics
    • Special Projects
    • Submit a News Tip
    • Weather
    • Weird News
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Breaking News Blog
    • I Am Woman Hear Me Write
    • All Sports
    • Rays
    • Spring Training
    • Bucs
    • High Schools
    • FSU
    • UF
    • USF
    • Outdoors
    • Tennis
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • David Wilson
    • Alan Dell
    • Jason Dill
    • Politics
    • Elections
    • The Florida Influencer Series
    • All Business
    • Real Estate News
    • Retail
    • Small Business
    • Port Manatee
    • All Living
    • Food & Drink
    • Health
    • Pets
    • Religion
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Cooking With Local Chefs
    • Gulf Coast Cooking
    • Cravings by Janelle O'Dea
    • All Entertainment
    • Arts & Culture
    • Fairs & Festivals
    • Comics
    • Puzzles & Games
    • Horoscopes
    • Restaurants
    • Local Events
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Marty Clear
    • All Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Letters
    • Opinion Columns
    • Influencers Opinion
    • Submit a Letter
  • Obituaries

  • Classifieds
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Cars
  • Homes
  • Place An Ad
  • Mobile & Apps

  • About Us

Latest News

Local surgeons head for Haiti with supplies; update from Dominican

By JOAN KRAUTER - jkrauter@bradenton.com

    ORDER REPRINT →

January 19, 2010 12:00 AM

A team of local doctors is heading to a makeshift hospital today just outside of Port-Au-Prince in Haiti, carrying surgical equipment and other emergency supplies donated by Manatee Memorial and Blake hospitals.

“We know we’re heading into devastation, and that our expertise is sorely needed,” said Dr. Joseph Pecoraro, a Bradenton vascular and general surgeon, in a telephone interview from Miami International Airport. “We expect to do mostly amputations, treat traumatized wounds, deal with multiple fractures — we’ll do what we can.”

He is joined by anesthesiologists Trey Bernard, Tom Nutter and orthopedic surgeon Dr. David Sugar, all from Sarasota. They boarded an American Airlines flight to the Dominican Republic, and planned to drive early this morning to Petit-Goave, Haiti, where UNICEF set up the makeshift hospital.

Pecoraro is one of the founding members of Hearts Afire, a medical missionary organization that has organized medical relief teams to send into the devastated country. They have been working with two other missionaries since the earthquake: the Dominican Republic’s Corazon de Siervo (“Servants Heart”) and the Haitian Christian Development Fund.

SIGN UP

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to the Bradenton Herald

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

“We sent along anything we could give — surgical needs, pharmaceuticals, bandages, you name it,” said Vernon DeSear, vice president of marketing/business development at Manatee Memorial. “We’re trying to work with everyone, because you want to do whatever you can.”

DeSear’s voice caught with emotion as he described the past week, noting that hospital officials are communicating with doctors and medical teams who have been in Haiti.

“It’s such an emotional conversation,” DeSear said. “The sheer numbers of what they’ve seen make it tough for them to talk long.”

Many of the hospital’s staff members are helping with medical mission trips.

“They are all quite committed to giving,” DeSear said Monday night. “They don’t want attention. They just want to help in this tragic situation.”

Javier Bedoya, an employee with Manatee Memorial’s housekeeping services, has exemplified that spirit.

“He can barely speak English, yet he has spearheaded efforts to get help to Haiti,” DeSear said. “He has walked the halls, saying, ‘I know people there. Please help.’ How can you say no to someone like that? Everyone just keeps giving and giving.”

Joan Krauter, executive editor, can be reached at 748-0411, ext. 2000.

Related stories from Bradenton Herald

HOMEPAGE

EDITOR'S BLOG: An update from the doctors

January 19, 2010 12:57 PM

  Comments  

Videos

Watch: Cortez Fishing Festival celebrates ‘changing tides’

Bodycam video shows police officers shoot, kill knife-wielding man

View More Video

Trending Stories

Bradenton man was shot dead by masked intruder. Victim was living with intruder’s relatives, cops say

February 16, 2019 12:26 PM

SRQ to add another destination this spring. Service to this city starts in March

February 15, 2019 08:35 AM

Man closed lid on their hot tub while wife was still in it, say police. She died.

February 15, 2019 12:29 PM

Man dies after falling 100 feet to the ground after I-4 motorcycle crash, FHP says

February 15, 2019 05:39 PM

Vegan parents starve 5-month-old by switching out doctor’s formula, Florida police say

February 15, 2019 09:28 AM

Read Next

Military planes carrying 180 tons of aid for Venezuelans fly from Miami to Colombia
Video media Created with Sketch.

World

Military planes carrying 180 tons of aid for Venezuelans fly from Miami to Colombia

By Nora Gámez Torres

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 16, 2019 08:00 AM

Military planes carrying humanitarian aid for Venezuelans landed in Cúcuta, Colombia, on Saturday from an air base in Homestead, FL. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the State Department coordinated the shipment.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to the Bradenton Herald

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE LATEST NEWS

He won the 2003 Masters. Now he’s in contention in Lakewood Ranch Web.com Tour event

Latest News

He won the 2003 Masters. Now he’s in contention in Lakewood Ranch Web.com Tour event

February 16, 2019 05:34 PM
The tides might be changing, but it’s time for celebration at Cortez Fishing Festival

Local

The tides might be changing, but it’s time for celebration at Cortez Fishing Festival

February 16, 2019 04:59 PM
Bradenton man was shot dead by masked intruder. Victim was living with intruder’s relatives, cops say

Crime

Bradenton man was shot dead by masked intruder. Victim was living with intruder’s relatives, cops say

February 16, 2019 12:26 PM
This woman will become Manatee-Sarasota’s first female chief judge this summer

Local

This woman will become Manatee-Sarasota’s first female chief judge this summer

February 16, 2019 06:00 AM
Have you seen one of these 5 Manatee fugitives? If so, you could earn a cash reward

Crime

Have you seen one of these 5 Manatee fugitives? If so, you could earn a cash reward

February 16, 2019 08:45 AM
Author of homophobic slur among 8 ousted in new Broward sheriff’s ongoing purge

Florida

Author of homophobic slur among 8 ousted in new Broward sheriff’s ongoing purge

February 15, 2019 03:26 PM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

Bradenton Herald App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
  • Archives
Advertising
  • Place a Classified Ad
  • Advertise with Us
  • Special Sections
  • Public Notices
Copyright
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story