News About Kindred People and Places
Here are some current happenings at Kindred facilities across the country.
Detroit Wound Care Doctor Felt "Compelled" to Help in Sri Lanka
By Thomas Jarrell
Recruiter
Dr. Karl Bandlien, Medical Director of Kindred Detroit’s Wound Care program, recently visited Sri Lanka on a week-long trip to aid and assist the survivors of the "killer tsunamis" which occurred December 26. "I felt compelled by God to go," he said. "In three days time, I was able to make arrangements, clear my schedule and go."
The native Norwegian doctor is no stranger to this type of humanitarian effort. He served as Unit Commander for Michigan’s Disaster Medical Assistance Team and as chief medical officer for more than 10 years. Previous medical relief quests have landed him in South America, South Africa, and Europe.
"I have never seen a disaster of this magnitude," said Bandlien.
"Sri Lanka is the Asian/Pacific center for the group I belong to.
Perhaps it is because I know what the area looked like before the tsunami
that it has affected me the way it has."
Dr. Bandlien traveled to Sri Lanka as a member of the Healthcare Christian
Fellowship International (HCFI). Founded in 1936, HCFI is an international
and interdenominational organization active in more than one hundred countries
around the world.
"When we arrived," Bandlien recounted, "we landed in Colombo,
the capital of Sri Lanka. We traveled seven hours to the eastern shore.
There we met a teacher, and the only person who could speak English. He
told us that not many people in Sri Lanka even knew what a tsunami was.
He, being a teacher, had done some research on the tsunami that slammed
into Japan in 1996. He was on the beach and saw the water rise and recognized
the signs. He shouted, ‘Run for your lives or you will all parish,’
but people remained on the beach staring at the huge wall of water. He
survived but over 1200 people in that area were swept away by the sea.
The real danger of a tsunami is after the wave hits, when the water starts
to return, it sucks everything back into the sea."
He continued. "We traveled to the Kinniya District Hospital, the
only hospital in the region. It was a 65-bed facility. When we got there,
we found it had been destroyed; the roof and walls of buildings gone and
all the patients and people who worked there killed. We set up temporary
units and began treating the injured."
"It was hard working on the children. You would ask for their parents
only to be told that they were dead. Parents were waiting on the shoreline
for the sea to wash up the bodies of their missing children."
"The day I arrived, medical help from all over the world was arriving;
doctors from China, Australia, and an infectious disease specialist from
San Francisco. Huge containers of fresh water were flown in which helped
in controlling disease. We didn’t see the expected diarrhea and
typhoid. There were lots of upper respiratory infections and open wounds
with secondary infections and abscesses. There is a great need for antibiotics;
the pharmaceutical companies have been wonderful about sending samples.
There will be a continued need for medical care and the authorities in
charge are looking for people who can volunteer for six months to one
year."
Sri Lanka has a long history of civil war between the Tamil and the Sinhalese.
The country of Norway had worked out a truce between the two groups in
2002, but tensions have been rising and peace talks broke down before
the tsunami hit. Dr. Bandlien said, "If there is any good to come
out of this tragedy, at least the two groups are talking to each other
again after this disaster. The Christians, Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists
came together and actually helped each other. Perhaps through this disaster,
people will realize how precious life is."
Valentines for Troops
By Shelly Preston
Activity Director
Painesville, OH --- The LakeMed Nursing and Rehabilitation Center's Resident
Council chose to continue sending gifts to the adopted soldiers of BlackHawk
X-Ray currently stationed in Iraq.
On Jan. 24 three boxes of goodies were sent out. The residents made Chex
mix and bagged up over 70 snack bags for the troops. They also added pretzels,
chips and cereal.
To go along with the treats, the residents sent homemade Valentine Cards
as well as cookies and Twizzlers. One of the residents said, "its
a good feeling to know your making a difference."
Houston Northwest Doubles American Lung Association Donation
Houston, TX --- Kindred Hospital Houston Northwest recently held its fourth annual golf tournament to benefit the American Lung Association (ALA) of Texas and doubled the amount that was raised last year. One hundred golfers and 30 volunteers banded together on Oct. 28 to raise more than $21,000.“We are thrilled with the relationship that we have with Kindred Hospital Houston Northwest," said Trish King, executive director of the local Gulf Coast Region for ALA. "We spend a lot of time with the institution and with fundraising efforts. Thank you to all of the vendors and volunteers who helped make all of this possible."
Kindred's Dr. Srinivasa Venkatesh had the idea of having a golf tournament back in 1998, but he decided to wait until Kindred found the right charitable organization. The tournament was developed and planned by Tere Kelly of Kindred Healthcare, of whom many volunteers said they couldn’t imagine a better, more hard-working leader.
Played at the Pineforest Country Club between Royal Oaks and Westheimer, the tournament featured popular holes such as the Tiger Woods Drive and a Hole-In-One trip to Hawaii. It took between four and six months and approximately 50 volunteers to plan and execute the event. Sixty area businesses contributed financial support.
Currently, ALA is preparing for its third annual Asthma Walk on March 26.
