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Hôpital Albert Schweitzer Haiti
  • Impact
    • Overview
    • Impact
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    • Community-based Care
  • Stories
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Stories

Helping a Mother’s Dreams Come True

Posted on October 17, 2019 by HAS Haiti

Cherline, a Deschapelles native and coordinator of HAS’ community health center in Bastien, always knew she wanted to have two children.

However, the road to becoming a mother was a heart wrenching one.

Prior to the birth of her first son, Cherline miscarried six babies. She recalls them all: girl, boy, twin boys, and twins (boy and girl). In all of these instances, Cherline lost her babies as a result of a medical condition known as cervical insufficiency.

Another shot at motherhood.

When Cherline became pregnant with Emmanuel, one of HAS’ OBGYNs sewed Cherline’s cervix closed to help keep the baby in the womb. 

Concerned that the baby would not make it to term, her doctor ordered Cherline on 3 months of bed rest. She ate, bathed, and slept in one spot on the floor, with the hopes that minimal movement would preserve the life of her baby.

At 32 weeks, a horrible headache forced her to go to the hospital. Her blood pressure was too high for her to continue to carry the baby.

Emmanuel is born.

Emmanuel was born via cesarean at HAS. While Cherline recovered quickly, little Emmanuel was struggling to stay alive.  Weighing 3.3 lbs, he spent 29 days in the neonatal ward, fighting hyperthermia and hypoglycemia.

“I was miserable,” she says. “I asked God, will this one die too?”

Because she is a nurse, she wanted to care for her son at home. The first time she returned for a check-up, Emmanuel weighed 7.7 lbs. The hospital staff rejoiced. She continued to take him to appointments in pediatrics with Dr. Toussaint.

“The hospital was there with me through all of this. My doctors were available to me around the clock.”

Today, Emmanuel is in the first grade. He likes watching cartoons and playing football. He and his younger sister, Princess, go to school on HAS’ campus – L’ecole Flamoyant. Cherline had been on bed rest for Princess, as well, and delivered a healthy baby girl via cesarean section at HAS.

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