K of C to Host Haitian Amputee Athletes at Vatican Conference Called by Pope Francis

ROME, Jan. 7, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Three young men who exemplify the hope and healing that have been achieved against great odds since Haiti's 2010 earthquake will attend a Vatican conference this week to mark five years since the tragic earthquake, courtesy of the Knights of Columbus.

In addition to attending the Vatican conference on Saturday, Jan. 10, the Haitian delegation will also offer a demonstration of amputee soccer at a K of C soccer field in Rome.

All three of the young men lost a leg in the earthquake that devastated Haiti on Jan. 12, 2010. They received prosthetic limbs through "Healing Haiti's Children," an extensive program sponsored by the Knights of Columbus in collaboration with the University of Miami-affiliated Project Medishare. Medishare will also have representatives at the Vatican event.

Wilfrid Macena, Mackenson Pierre and Sandy J.L. Louiseme were aided by the program, a partnership that offered free prosthetics and rehabilitation to every child who lost a limb in the earthquake.

Medishare provided medical expertise and treatment, while the Knights of Columbus offered funding of $1.7 million, which effectively provided an estimated $12 million worth of aid by U.S. standards and created a sustainable program by hiring local Haitians to do much of the fabrication and rehabilitation work. To date, more than 1,000 children have received prosthetic limbs in the program, which has also trained Haitians to continue their work.

Some of the Haitian amputees, including Macena, Pierre and Louiseme, went on to become members of a new soccer team composed of amputee athletes from Port-au-Prince and the neighboring villages.

The upcoming conference in Rome was called by Pope Francis to focus on the humanitarian catastrophe and its ongoing impact, and will affirm the Church's closeness to the Haitian people, according to the Vatican. The meeting, organized by the Pontifical Commission for Latin America and the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum," will include a presentation by Knights of Columbus Supreme Knight Carl Anderson.

"The work of the dedicated medical staff and the unbreakable spirit of these Haitian young people, in circumstances most of us can't imagine, are truly inspiring," said Anderson. "After the earthquake, thousands of children and young people underwent emergency amputations in order to survive, and we are pleased to have been able to help many reclaim their lives despite terrible challenges."

The amazing story of the program and the children it has served has been captured in "Unbreakable: A Story of Hope and Healing in Haiti," a documentary produced by the Knights that is being aired by several PBS affiliates in U.S. markets this month.

Winner of the Most Inspirational Documentary Award at the DocMiami International Film Festival's Florida Documentary Film Festival in September, the film also follows the story of the amputee soccer team, named Zaryen (tarantula) after the resilient spider known for becoming even more determined after losing a leg. The team has inspired not only Haitians but also Americans, as it traveled to the U.S. in 2011 to introduce amputee soccer to troops who lost limbs in Iraq and Afghanistan.

One of the most active charitable organizations in the United States, the Knights of Columbus donated more than $170 million and 70 million hours of service in 2013.

SOURCE Knights of Columbus