Knights to supply prosthetics to Haitian children injured in earthquake

WASHINGTON – The estimated 800 Haitian children who lost an arm or a leg because of the country’s violent earthquake Jan. 12 will get prosthetic limbs and therapy courtesy of the Knights of Columbus.

The effort, called Hope for Haiti’s Children, was first announced by Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson as he gave his annual report Aug.3 during the organization’s convention in Washington.

More details of the two-year program were announced at a Washington news conference Aug. 4.

Estimated to cost at least $1 million, the Knights are partnering with the University of Miami’s Project Medishare for Haiti to make the prosthetic devices available.

Each child will receive three prosthetics and all necessary therapy during the two-year period.

Earlier this year, the Knights teamed up with the California-based American Wheelchair Mission to deliver more than 1,000 wheelchairs to Haiti for people who suffered crushing injuries in the quake. The wheelchairs were donated to patients at a field hospital at the Port-au-Prince airport operated by the University of Miami.

The Knights also plan to deliver another 1,000 wheelchairs over the next several months.

“Each and every one of these children will receive a new start in life thanks to the Knights of Columbus,” Anderson told the convention delegates.