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Seventy-five miles away in Milot, the
patients, staff and volunteers at Hôpital
Sacré Coeur felt the earth shift, but no
one was hurt and the structure sustained
minimal damage. Within minutes, the
Hôpital Sacré Coeur community learned
more about the scope of the earthquake’s
destruction in Port au Prince through
radio broadcasts. But, the nation’s
disabled communications system left
hospital personnel anxiously awaiting
news of loved ones caught in the disaster,
including CEO Dr. Bernès Chalumeau and
Medical Director, Dr Harold Prévil, both in
Port au Prince for medical conferences.
The whole of the CRUDEM/Hôpital Sacré
Coeur community shared their anxiety,
most especially its President, Peter J.
Kelly, M.D. Once Dr. Kelly confirmed
that hospital patients and personnel
were safe and the buildings secure, he
gave the green light to several trauma
and orthopedic teams headed for Milot,
and then geared up to launch a massive
international relief effort that would
change CRUDEM/Hôpital Sacré Coeur
forever.