MCC Students and Faculty Travel to Haiti to Save Lives

In January of 2019, Middlesex Community College students Jennifer Peou, Danielle Russek and Rachel Williams, along with Nursing professors Susan Lavallee and Susan Ryan, traveled to Haiti with the Lavi Project — a nonprofit made up of volunteer medical and support professionals who provide medical care to small villages in Haiti.

“Our team traveled to four different clinical sites providing medical care to more than 900 patients,” Peou said. “This opportunity was presented to Nursing students by Professor Lavallee, who advocated for us to be a part of this life-changing experience.”

Professor Lavallee found it critical for Nursing students to learn from experience.

“Jennifer’s letter of application to the project spoke about a desire to become more empathetic. This really hit home for me as Nursing faculty because we have always struggled with the idea of, ‘How do we teach empathy?” Lavallee said. “What I’ve realized is that it cannot be taught, you have to put students in a position to experience it.”

Bob Bancroft, Founder and CEO of the Lavi Project, found the contingent from MCC — especially the three students — incredibly easy to work with.

“They plugged in to what we were doing with an incredible ease, confidence, compassion and integrity, and really brought something unique and special to the team,” Bancroft said. “I was very impressed with their base knowledge, and yet they were still very eager to learn and grow throughout the entire trip.”

Peou credits her education at MCC for preparing her for this adventure.

“The people of Haiti taught me to be humble, to appreciate all that we have and do not have, and to be thankful for every single day that we are given,” Peou said. “This experience was only possible because I made the choice to attend nursing school at MCC.”

The next Lavi Project team leaves for Haiti this January. Your tax deductible donation will assist the medical teams in providing hope and healing to the people of Haiti. Visit www.laviproject.org to learn more about the Lavi Project.

Visit www.middlesex.mass.edu/nursing/ for more information on MCC’s Nursing program. Registration for Spring 2020 classes is now open. Call 1-800-818-3434 or visit www.middlesex.mass.edu/registration to register.

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