Hanger Prosthetics & Orthotics practice manager Vern Hostetler from Zanesville, Ohio recently arrived in Deschapelles, Haiti where he has taken over the role as lead prosthetist at the Hanger prosthetics clinic. Before Hanger practitioner Anna Avakian concluded her three-month term as lead prosthetist, she transitioned her role to Vern during a two-week training process.
Fully functional since February 22, 2010, the Hanger prosthetics clinic in Deschapelles has already achieved notable success and outstanding patient outcomes under the leadership of two prior lead practitioners from Hanger, John “Jay” Tew, from Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Anna Avakian, from Washington, DC. To date, nearly 600 Haitian amputees have received prosthetic care at the Hanger Clinic in Haiti.Before he left for Haiti, Vern talked to his local media about his impending trip. Get to know Vern by taking a look at this Zanesville Time Record newspaper article and this WHIZ-TV NBC clip.
Stay tuned for blog posts from Vern about his experience and work in Haiti.
About Jay Tew, CP
- Hanger Ivan R. Sabel Foundation
- Deschapelles, Haiti
- Jaw Tew is a Hanger Clinic practice manager and recipient of the Hanger Excellence Award for Clinical Leadership. Additionally, Tew was awarded the Louisiana Distinguished Civilian Service Award, the Louisiana National Guard’s highest civilian Medal of Honor for his service to wounded soldiers returning from the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Jay volunteered to serve a three-month term at HAS as lead prosthetist for the Coalition's patient care delivery. He arrived February 22, 2010 and lead the team that fit 350+ amputees with prosthetic limbs and orthotic braces before his rotation ended May 31, 2010. He has since served several other terms as lead prosthetist at the clinic in Haiti.
