A doctor who grew up in Bradford plans to travel to Haiti next
week to aid those still in need after January’s earthquake.

Christopher Still, a nutritionist at Geisinger Medical Center in
Danville, was chosen to join a team of clinicians from Geisinger
for a week long medical mission sponsored by Doctors United for
Haiti, he said.

From March 20 to 28, the team will travel to Jacmel, a city
south of Port-au-Prince, to set up clinics and perform surgeries.
Still said he’s excited for the opportunity to give back.

“I’m thrilled,” said Still, of Lewisburg. “I’ve been so
fortunate in my life, to give back, even in such a small way, I’m
elated.”

When the team arrives in Port-au-Prince, they plan to ride the
20 miles to Jacmel in the back of a truck. It will take six hours
to get there since the roads have been destroyed by the earthquake,
Still said.

The group, which includes surgeons, obstetricians/gynecologists,
pediatricians, internists and a pharmacist, will be working out of
a partially destroyed hospital, Still said.

The hospital site is comprised of an operating room, located
within the third of the hospital that still stands, Still said. The
clinic will be outside in tents.

Haiti was one of the poorest countries in the western hemisphere
before the earthquake, Still said, but now there’s little food and
no water supply.

“It’s just an unbelievable situation,” the doctor said, adding
that the devastation will continue for a long time.

Due to the earthquake, there has been an increase in the amount
of malnutrition and dehydration developing in the island country,
especially in children and adolescents. Still’s background in
nutrition is one of the reasons why he was selected, he said.

Doctors expect to check 300 patients in the clinic and perform
five to 10 surgeries per day, Still said. At night, doctors will
branch out to render aid in villages.

Doctors plan to stay in tents, and since there is no shower they
will have to use baby wipes, he said.

Still has some experience in situations like this. Previously,
he aided migrant workers in eastern Virginia. However, the trip to
Haiti is the first medical mission where he has gone outside of the
country.

Still’s mother and sister live in Bradford. His father, George
Still, was a doctor in Bradford for more than 30 years. A few years
ago, George Still passed away.

“I’m sure he would love to do something like this, too,” Still
said.

He said he made a point to go on a medical mission like this
early in his life, especially because of the great need in
Haiti.

“It’ll be a wonderful experience,” he said. “I’m sure.”