Doctor born in Haiti to return for relief effort | News

From a 40-room hospital in Stayton, Dr. Guesly Dessiuex will head for the devastation that is Haiti to do what he can to help the victims of last week’s earthquake.

Dessiuex was born in Haiti, but he left at age eight for the United States where he became a doctor.

He couldn’t get connected with other medical teams headed for Haiti so he put together his own made up of other doctors, nurses, and a paramedic.

His team’s destination will be a small, rustic hospital east of Port-au-Prince in the town of Fond Parisien. The hospital is protected from looters by guards.

“I know there are some personal risks in it,” Dessiuex said. “But being a physician, I feel that’s part of my calling.”

The team will be funded by Santiam Memorial Hospital, which will provide about $10,000 to cover the costs.

Dessiuex will leave behind his six-month-old son Josiah and his wife Sara.

The couple met while Sara was a missionary in Haiti.

“I love Haiti and have a passion for those people,” Sara said. “I’m excited that he does too, and I’m excited that he’s a doctor and he can go down there and help them.”

Sara said she started booking a flight to Haiti before her husband asked, because she knew he would want to go.