2016 Corporate Social Responsibility Review - 8

PILLAR 1: ENHANCING ACCESS TO CARE

Capacity Building
We recognize that building capacity in community health centers, clinics, and academic
institutions is critical to deliver high-quality health care. To help develop this capacity,
we help to upgrade health care facilities in underserved areas with donations of
the latest digital technology, equipment, and installation assistance. We work with
academic institutions around the world, supporting their clinical programs and global
outreach efforts in order to provide opportunities for students to receive hands-on
training, enrich their professional experience, and encourage a culture of social
responsibility among the health professionals of tomorrow.

IMPACT:
Haiti's Animal Health Hero:
An Interview with Dr. Bradley
Coolman, DVM
In Haiti, the economy largely depends
on agriculture, and with about 2.5
million Haitians living in poverty, owning
animals is an important part of people's
livelihoods.

In this interview, Dr. Bradley Coolman,
DVM, discusses his work to provide
and teach veterinary medicine in
Haiti-which was supported in 2016 by
a donation of products by Henry Schein
Animal Health-and the lasting impact
veterinarians are making in the country.

Q: How long have you been
working in Haiti, and how did you
get started?
The first time I went to Haiti was
actually about 20 years ago when I was
a veterinarian in the U.S. Army, but I've
always had an interest in developmental
work and had hoped for an opportunity
to go back.
In 2008, an organization called Christian
Veterinary Mission (CVM) put out a
request for veterinarians to come down
to Haiti and help teach basic surgical
techniques to veterinary agents (people
who have had veterinary training, but
are not formally doctors of veterinary
medicine).

Our goal was to help them have handson experience-doing basic surgery,
performing castration, spaying a dog,
tying a suture-so they could develop
skills that would help them to grow their
own practices.
I've since gone back six times, continuing
to educate and support those who we've
helped in the past with their skills and
practices.

Q: How would you describe the
need for veterinarians in Haiti?
In impoverished areas like Haiti, people's
health and livelihood is closely tied
to their animals. But there aren't very
many veterinarians in Haiti. Haitians
who have education tend to leave the
country. That's part of the reason for the
perpetual poverty and challenges that
people face there.
The people I've worked with have
realized that enhancing their skills
will help increase their income and
quality of life while also benefiting their
community. That's what makes our work
so important. We're not just treating
sick animals, we're teaching veterinary
agents the skills necessary to help their
communities and make a living.

Q: What makes the work of
Christian Veterinary Mission
so special?

Its ongoing impact. During my first
mission in 2008, I met a young man, Acky,
who was just out of high school and had
just come to training for the first time.
Since then, he has been actively involved
with CVM and works with the full-time
vet down there, Dr. Kelly Crowdis. Acky's
developed a tremendous vision for
wanting to help his country and educate
people.
Acky has now built a vet clinic and a
school in his hometown. I attended the
school's "kick-off," with a class of 20
veterinary agents beginning a six-month
training program. I stood before this new
class, thinking about how eight years ago,
this man was just a kid, a student. And
now he's built this incredible facility and
is starting a training school.
I looked at 20 students from across the
country and thought of the impact their
new skills will have on their ability to help
their own communities.
It was incredible to me to see how
we've impacted one person's life, and
now he wants to give that gift to many
more people.
Dr. Coolman is a small animal surgeon in Fort
Wayne, Indiana, and an adjunct professor of
Veterinary Clinical Sciences at Purdue University.
He is actively involved with Christian Veterinary
Mission, a non-profit that helps students and
professionals serve their local and global
communities by using their veterinary skills.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of 2016 Corporate Social Responsibility Review