FLORENCE -- Tuesday marks four weeks since the devastating earthquake hit the impoverished nation of Haiti.
Many people have offered their help and support to residents affected by the disaster, including one local nurse.
Rocky Cagle is a graduate of South Florence High School and Clemson University, who went on to work as an R.N. at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.
Cagle was selected to join the Johns Hopkins Go Team, which is a group of highly trained doctors and nurses from the hospital, who train for and travel to disaster zones.
Cagle is currently in Haiti with the team, providing free medical care to residents affected by the earthquake.
Cagle's parents say Rocky knew from a very young age that he wanted to help others.
They also say though, that he is encountering many heartbreaking situations in Haiti, including one child he met who lost his family in a car accident and then lost his home in the earthquake.
"Some people have lost limbs and of course there's other things... he's seen death... and there's just so many other things that he's seen and was exposed to.," said Robert Cagle, Rocky's father.
Jewel Cagle says her son is working in a hospital that does not have electricity, so the doctors and nurses not only have to deal with unbearably hot conditions but also have to work with the limited resources that are available.
"People are just disoriented, lost limbs, and they don't have all of the medical equipment they need so they're just doing I.V.'s, just trying to get people back... giving them a lot of fluids because they're dehydrated," she said.
Rocky's parents said they're sad to hear of the difficult conditions and situations in Haiti, but are thankful that their son can make a contribution to helping the people and the country, get back on its feet.
"We want people to know what he's doing and what it will do for other people that he's seeing...I imagine any parent would be proud," Robert Cagle said.
Rocky's family said he may just be one person contributing to a large effort, but they're hoping that one person will make a lasting change in many lives.
"He's accomplished a lot. This is what he's always wanted to do, he's always wanted to give back and I think that he will be a different person when he comes home," Jewel Cagle said.
Cagle and the rest of the Go Team are spending two weeks in Haiti.
Cagle currently works in the intensive care unit at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
For more information on the Go Team: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/haiti/go_team_video.html
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement