Chikungunya Update: Experimental Vaccine

For months, ICC has been updating supporters about chikungunya, the mosquito-borne virus that has infected more than a half million people in the Western Hemisphere this year. The island of Hispaniola has been hit especially hard. Thousands of Haitians and Dominicans have fallen ill with chikungunya, experiencing the extreme join pain, high fever, headache and nausea that accompanies the virus.

Mosquitoes Cause Illness in Haiti

A mosquito-born virus called chikungunya is spreading across the Caribbean. Chikungunya causes rash, fever and excruciating joint pain. The illness is rarely fatal; recovery usually takes about a week.

ICC Responds to Economic Crisis in Haiti

Having weathered so many natural disasters over the last decades, Haiti now faces an unprecedented economic inflation crisis which is impacting all citizens as the cost of basic items such as food and fuel spiral out of control.

Recognizing Our Donors: Meet Sarah Hathcock

We love our donors, and it’s important to us that we take the time to recognize them and all the ways in which they’ve helped children in Haiti via their support of International Child Care.

ICC USA and GCH Recognizes International Nurses Day

To commemorate International Nurses Day, the ICC USA and GCH Education Committee reflected on the impact of the GCH nurses.

Recognizing Grace Children’s Hospital During World Immunization Week

World Immunization Week is celebrated every year in the last week of April. Its theme for 2021 is “Vaccines Bring Us Closer” to emphasize that immunization helps to improve the health of everyone, everywhere throughout life and allows us to safely connect to each other.

Grace Children's Hospital and World TB Day

Tuberculosis (TB), a disease which most commonly affects the lungs, is one of the deadliest in the world, killing around 1.5 million people a year and infecting 1 out of 4 individuals globally. Although the incidence of TB has decreased over the past 40 years, Haiti continues to have the highest rate of TB cases in the western hemisphere.

February is Low Vision Awareness Month

An estimated 196 million people have age-related macular degeneration and low vision worldwide.

Remembering Moments From Haiti

ICC board member, Jeannine Hatt, shared one of her most memorable moments from her trips to Haiti to visit Grace Children’s Hospital.

Save The Date: December 1, 2020

As the holiday season begins, we ask you to support us as we participate in Giving Tuesday, an international day of charitable giving on December 1st.

Your Generosity Is Needed: Help Stop the Spread of Coronavirus in Haiti

There have been over 8,000 documented cases of the coronavirus in Haiti, with numbers rapidly rising. International Child Care and Grace Children’s Hospital are calling upon our generous community to help and one way in which you can is by donating child-sized masks to the children at GCH.

Oxygen: An Essential Medicine

In Haiti, oxygen is very expensive and can be difficult to access. For Grace Children’s Hospital (GCH), where many patients arrive with respiratory illnesses, keeping a basic medication like oxygen in ready supply can be difficult because of the cost and limited supply.

Grace Children’s Hospital Prepares for COVID-19 Cases

“While every day comes with challenges, we are doing our best to keep the hospital running while protecting our staff and the population [at large],” Dr. Rony added.

Fighting Infant Mortality and Premature Deaths at Grace Children’s Hospital

Grace Children’s Hospital has been at the forefront of efforts to help improve infant mortality in Haiti, which included launching a lifesaving training initiative for midwives in 2010 called, “Helping Babies Breathe.”

Advocating Against Violence

In March, approximately 115 women safely gathered in the meeting facility at Grace Children’s Hospital to recognize International Women’s Day 2019. The event included a cultural program as well as a training session, “Violence based on gender and the importance of women in the community.”

Polene

For Polene Germain, International Child Care’s community health program provides more than just life-saving care: it creates a sense of community that she can trust.“If I didn’t have this program, I wouldn’t know how to keep my children healthy,” she said. “It’s very useful because here the living conditions are so bad."

Jolitrou, Haiti

A thirty-minute drive from the nearest city, across a rough terrain, and through a river (four times), lies the rural and isolated community of Jolitrou. Before International Child Care, locals had to walk 4 hours each way to the nearest hospital and once there, many times were told to come back another day or denied health care completely. Once ICC partnered with the community to create a clinic, the infant mortality rate dropped significantly and many lives were saved.

Gregory

When Gregory Adrien came to Grace Children’s Hospital in 1998, severely malnourished and crippled by Tuberculosis, it’s no wonder he quickly learned to regard the staff and other children at Grace as his family.

Grace Children's Hospital Hosts Tuberculosis Day

When Grace Children’s Hospital first started in 1967, it was as a small Tuberculosis clinic in Haiti with a goal of treating and healing 100 children. Now in its 50th year, the hospital is celebrating the accomplishments of treating not 100 children, but well more than 100,000 children, while also educating the public about how the battle against Tuberculosis is not over.

Yadiel's Journey in Steps

Two years ago, Yadiel Collado’s life consisted of this: he spent most of his days lying on a table or in his bed. Occasionally he would look at something as he moved it with his hand, but his eyesight was scattered. He never spoke.

Honoring the Etiennes

When we look back to the beginnings of Grace Children’s Hospital, there are so many who helped make James and Virginia’s vision possible. Hilda and Napoleon Etienne were definitely two of them. Caring, loving, and devoted to their community, they played a significant role in the beginnings of the hospital in the 1960s.

7 Years after the Earthquake

January 12, 2010 is a day Haitians will never forget, and it certainly makes a mark on our own history here at International Child Care.

5 Kids and Families You Gave Health to in 2016

Thanks to all of your generous support over this past year, International Child Care has been able to provide hope and health for thousands of children and families in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. We don’t need to show every life saved for you to know that each one is valuable, but here are just 5 examples of people your support and dollars have helped this year.

Grace and Ronaldo's Family

Ronaldo was admitted to the hospital with a rapid heart condition and respiratory problems. Before coming to Grace, he was sick for two years, said his mother Marleiene. “I went to other hospitals, but we didn’t get any results.”

ICC's Christmas Wishlist

By adding ICC to your gift-giving list, you’ll provide life-altering service to more and more children.

Forgotten to Friendship

Far too many children with disabilities are last in line for resources, especially when they are scarce to begin with. Often, these children are victims of violence, abuse, neglect, and deprivation. In many developing societies, they are forgotten.

Get Involved with #GivingTuesdayICC

Want to get involved in the #GivingTuesdayICC fun? There are lots of ways to make sure your giving today goes a lot further. How? By getting more people involved. Together, we can do so much more!

ICC Responds to Spread of Cholera

Medical experts predict a massive outbreak of cholera in Haiti as a result of Hurricane Matthew. Cholera is a deadly water-borne disease that can kill within hours if left untreated.

Haiti and Grace after the Hurricane

Although the storm has passed and the immediate threat is out of the way, Hurricane Matthew left irreplaceable damage, took the livelihood of many families, and now poses an even greater threat to the country’s health.

Hurricane Matthew to Hit Haiti

In the next 24 hours, Hurricane Matthew will be running its course through Haiti. With maximum winds of up to 140 miles per hour and up to 40 inches of rain, it is predicted there will be a lot of destruction: flash floods, mudslides, and damaged homes and buildings. It’s currently on a course to hit Southwestern Haiti. It is a stronger hurricane than Katrina, and Haiti is far less equipped to deal with the storm.

Reflecting on Race for Grace 2016

“Some people might think it is crazy to ride a bicycle 63.2 miles (100K) in blistering Texas heat, which can often reach or exceed 100 degrees at the height of the summer—but I don’t,” said Liz Willding Robbins.

Every Step Matters to Little Lensky

At the beginning of the summer, a three-and-a-half-year-old boy named Lensky was diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot, one of the most common congenital heart defects.

Meet the Race for Grace Team: Jeannine Hatt

Jeannine Hatt has been riding and raising funds for Race for Grace for the last ten years since it started—in fact, she’s part of the reason it exists!

Meet Antoine Innocent: Grace’s Newest Family Member

September 30, 2015 is a day that completely changed the life of 6-month-old Antoine Innocent: he was found abandoned at Grace Children’s Hospital, slightly malnourished but otherwise free from harm. And while this day marks the day he was left by someone who could no longer care for him, it also marks the day that he was invited into Grace’s large family without hesitation.

Meet the Race for Grace Team: Ellen Palmer

International Child Care board member, long-time supporter, and devoted Race for Grace participant Ellen Palmer has a strong passion to engage children in her community to help the children of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Children can make effective partners in her mission and grow to care and love for others.

Meet the Race for Grace Team: Cheridy Dodd

When she signed up to ride in the Race for Grace, Cheridy’s thoughts weren’t on the actual bike ride—in fact, she doesn’t even own a bike! As a first time rider, she’s using the event as a way to raise funds for a mission she cares deeply about: caring for the children at Grace Children’s Hospital.

Community Health Program is also a Friendship Program

Zika: What the Scientists are Saying

The CDC announced yesterday that "Scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have concluded, after careful review of existing evidence, that Zika virus is a cause of microcephaly and other severe fetal brain defects.

Millions of Lives Could Be Saved from Tuberculosis: Here’s Why They Aren’t

“The decreasing funding for TB control makes it increasingly difficult to meet our goals,” emphasizes Dr. Josette Bijou, International Child Care Haiti National Director.

Education and Training Center Impact Spreads Beyond Hospital Walls

Each day that Chrislande Perceval arrives to work at Grace Children’s Hospital in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, she is reminded of her valuable role in providing healthcare and guidance to the community. Because she practices such a high level of nursing care, her patients trust her and are able to learn valuable information that could help save their children’s lives.

Update on the Zika Virus : What’s Happening in Haiti?

Recent news updates about the spread of the Zika Virus can be alarming and bring up quite a few questions about travel and preventative measures.

Cholera Update

At ICC we have been very diligent in updating you about the health situation in Haiti regarding cholera. Back in April, we touched base with you to share that Haitian officials were reporting a spike in cholera cases.

Meet Reginald Innocent

One-year-old Reginald was abandoned at Grace on June 29th, 2015. He was found in the hospital yard, crying and alone. He was severely malnourished.

GCH Internationally Recognized for Research

International Child Care (ICC) has a long history of leadership in the Haitian health care community. Originating with the founding of Grace Children's Hospital (GCH) in 1967, ICC has developed a reputation for its prominent work with infectious diseases and its high standard of patient care. Recently, GCH was chosen to present at the International Forum on Quality and Safety in Health Care 2016 in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Meet Dawina Ornelus

15-month old Dawina was brought to Grace by her mother Mackinda Ornelus on September 25, 2015.

World Toilet Day

Today the UN is celebrating World Toilet Day. According to the UN, 2.4 billion people do not have adequate sanitation. This year, World Toilet Day is focusing on the link between sanitation and nutrition in order to draw the world's attention to the importance of toilets in supporting nutrition and improved health.

TB Rivals HIV/AIDS as a Leading Cause of Death

For the first time, tuberculosis infections rivaled HIV/AIDs as a leading cause of death from infectious diseases, the World Health Organization said in a report released Wednesday. It found that during 2014, 1.1 million people died of TB in 2014. During the same period, HIV/AIDS killed 1.2 million people globally, including 400,000 who were infected with both HIV and TB.

The Story of Sebastian Dorelus

Sebastian Dorelus is six years old. Although, by looking at him, you would guess he was far younger. Sebastian suffers from acute malnutrition. It is defined by a very low height for weight, the result of years of hunger and inadequate nutrition, particularly in his first few years of life.

Happy Mother's Day

This weekend we celebrate mothers, the wonderful women who raise us and love us unconditionally. At International Child Care (ICC), we recognize the significant impact mothers have on their families and on the world. We work tirelessly to support mothers in Haiti and the Dominican Republic on a daily basis.

Cholera Update

In January and July of 2014, ICC provided you with updates on the cholera epidemic in Haiti. Since cholera was introduced in 2010, the Pan American Health Organization reports that more than 731,000 people have been infected, leading the world in suspected cholera cases. They report that more than 8,700 people have died after contracting the disease.

ICC and the Fight Against TB/HIV

ICC founders Jim and Virginia Snavely first visited Haiti in 1961 while on vacation. Overwhelmed by the plight of children with active tuberculosis (TB), they returned in 1965. Two years later, GCH opened in Port-au-Prince to care for tubercular children. Today, GCH is recognized as Haiti's leading medical facility dedicated to the treatment of children with TB, and is contracted by the Ministry of Health in Haiti as its principal partner in the national TB program.

World Malaria Day

World Malaria Day will be celebrated on April 25, 2015. On this day the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling on the global health community to address major gaps in prevention, diagnosis and treatment of malaria.

World Immunization Week

World Immunization Week, which promotes the use and awareness of vaccines to protect against disease, will be celebrated the last week of April from the 24th to the 30th. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), immunization is "one of the most successful and cost-effective health interventions." Immunizations prevent between 2 and 3 million deaths every year, in addition to protecting children from preventable diseases.

GCH SimLab Means Big Things for Health Education in Haiti

International Child Care (ICC) has a long history ofleadership in the Haitian health care community. Originating with the founding of Grace Children's Hospital (GCH) in 1967, ICC has developed a reputation for its prominent work with infectious diseases and its high standard of patient care. Today, ICC continues to lead the way in health education with its new SimLab, a simulation laboratory in the new Education and Training Center at GCH. A SimLab is a safe environment for health care promoters to develop critical thinking skills. Clinical skills are first practiced and tested on manikins to better prepare health care promoters for real life situations that are encountered at GCH.

Post Earthquake: Five Years of Progress at Grace

Five years ago today a devastating earthquake struck Haiti, killing more than 200,000 people and displacing approximately 1.5 million. Amidst the desolation, the chaos, and the debris, Grace Children's Hospital continued to provide healthcare services, despite severe structural damage, treating those injured from the earthquake in addition to their normal patient load. Hospital staff, individuals who had lost loved ones and homes, continued to return to work day after day, faithfully serving their fellow survivors.

Children of Grace: The Story of Deborah

At Grace Children's Hospital the inpatient ward cares for around 300 children a year. Each child's stay averages around three months; however, they are cared for and cherished for as long as necessary until they are healthy and happy. Two-year-old Deborah was brought to Grace by her parents, Fleurenus Annette and Bertrand Enold, in November 2014. Deborah presented with diarrhea, accompanied with a cough and fever. Her legs were largely swollen caused by the retention of fluid in her leg tissues. After a month of hospitalization, Deborah is starting to improve. With her pain now being managed, Deborah smiles more than she cries. She's beginning to interact with the other children in the ward as they all work toward their healthy recovery.

The Story of Richardson Deseus

At Grace Children's Hospital (GCH) in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, more than 400 patients are seen each day. The hospital's inpatient ward treats approximately 300 children each year. Each child's stay averages three months, in which they receive excellent medical care from professional doctors and nurses, nutritious meals to help them grow healthy and strong, and comfort from the dedicated and loving mamas (nurses’ aides).

Eliminate TB by 2050: Development of New Vaccine

International Child Care plays a leading role in the prevention and cure of tuberculosis (TB) through the national TB program in Haiti.

International Youth Day

Today is International Youth Day. International Youth Day began in 1999 as a way to commemorate the power and strength of young people around the globe. The 2014 theme is "Youth and Mental Health" under the slogan Mental Health Matters.

Cholera Update

Back in January, ICC provided supporters with an update on the cholera epidemic in Haiti which began in 2010.

Chikungunya Update

Back in May, ICC informed supporters of the mosquito virus ravaging the Caribbean. Chikungunya continues to spread across Hispaniola, especially in Haiti, where residents are packed together in slums and struggle with poor sanitation. The virus has since spread to the U.S., infecting 243 people according to a "Time" report.

Hope Beyond the Stigma: The Story of Wellington Soza

Knees pinned to a skateboard, Wellington Soza rolls down the street leading a posse of laughing boys. Gently pushed by his brother, Euclides, 10-year-old Wellington cocks his head back, shouting, "Faster! Faster!"

Haitians Making Haiti: Interview with Jocelyne Arnoux

There is a Haitian proverb that says: Ayisyen ki pou fè Ayiti, or “It is Haitians who must make Haiti.” For Director of Nursing at Grace Children’s Hospital (GCH), Jocelyne Arnoux, this proverb couldn’t be more true.

World Immunization Week

World Immunization Week, celebrated in the last week of April (24-30), promotes the use of vaccines to protect against disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) refers to immunization as “the world’s most powerful tool for health” as it prevents between two and three million deaths each year.

World Malaria Day

Friday, April 25th marked World Malaria Day. People across the globe took part in various activities to raise money and awareness to help treat and prevent the disease.

Drought in Northern Haiti

Northern Haiti is experiencing a severe drought.

An Update on Cholera in Haiti

It has been some time since ICC reported on the cholera epidemic that began in Haiti in 2010. Until this point, there had never been a reported case of Cholera in Haiti.

4 Years Later...

They say time heals all wounds. It has been 4 years since the 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit Port au Prince and changed the lives of millions forever. While it was unknown how many were lost on January 12, 2010, later results show that at least 200,000 were lost that day or the days following. Millions were left without homes and unaware if their loved ones and friends were alive.