September 8, 2021
Today is World Physiotherapy Day - celebrating Physical and Occupational Therapists and their invaluable work around the world! This #WorldPTDay, we want to highlight Amendocia, one of our newest Physical Therapists at LIFE Therapy Clinic!
Amendocia Dorce Pierre was in the first ever graduating class of Physical Therapists in Haiti. She completed the 4+ year Bachelors program of Physical Therapy at Faculté des Sciences de Réhabilitation de Léogâne (FSRL) and took her first job here at LIFE Therapy Clinic in January 2021. LIFE Therapy is excited to announce that Amendocia will be assuming the role of Assistant Director of LIFE Therapy clinic!
Q & A with Amendocia:
Why did you choose to work as Physical Therapist?
“Because I want to use God’s ability he gave me to help others with a disability.”
What do you love about your work as a PT?
“I love seeing how my patients are witnessing the benefits of the service we provide in their lives and how it gives them hope to struggle with life.”
If you want people to know one thing about Physical Therapy in Haiti, what would you want them to know?
“I would like to tell them that therapy is a source of comfort for every patient, that it must be used well, managed and protected to grow and that it can help our country overcome many criticisms of our inability.”
If you can change one thing about PT in Haiti, what would it be?
“I wish there was more education for Haitians about not stigmatizing people with disabilities so that they know that these people have their own values, and create ways to integrate people with disabilities into society, to make things accessible, just like for everyone else.”
About LIFE Therapy Clinic:
LIFE Therapy Clinic started in a small one room space on the main campus by Elizabeth Thele, an Occupational Therapist who came as an intern with mLs in 2012. She along with Rhonda Pierre, DPT, started training two women who lived in Neply in activities to work with the first children with special needs living in the myLIFEspeaks' families. Rhonda Pierre continued to come to myLIFEspeaks every three months to advance staff training and programming for patients being served.
The clinic space slowly grew to incorporate two other small rooms and Rhonda had the opportunity to come live full-time in Haiti in August 2016. LIFE Therapy Clinic has now grown into its own self-contained building consisting of three treatment rooms, one original staff member, two certified rehabilitation technicians and one Physical Therapist (in addition to Rhonda). LIFE Therapy serves pediatric and adult patients from the community of Neply and surrounding areas including some patients who come from hours away.
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