I have often said that it seemed there were some pre-requisites for being a dietitian that weren’t listed in your college catalog.  Many of us are Type A personalities, a little bit obsessive compulsive, and most of us have the ability to perform miracles without a budget or enough staff to work with.  In addition to that, I believe we were drawn to this profession because we have a desire to serve others in a unique way.  We can help save lives, prevent chronic illness, speed recovery and make living with a chronic illness less stressful.  In order to do this job well, we must have the capacity to empathize and to communicate effectively.  Dietitians as a group can do most anything when we put our minds and our hearts in it.  I have realized after 23 years in this profession that I am blessed to have had the opportunity to touch the lives of those I teach and care for because they always teach me something important. 

As you may know, our MDA president, Karen Lewis, along with several other dietitians along the coast lost their homes.  Many lost their place of business as well.  In true dietitian fashion, Karen had opened her home to two friends who lived in areas that were known to flood in hurricane conditions.  They ended up climbing into Karen’s attic to escape the storm surge.  During the storm, Karen was at the Biloxi V.A. Medical Center caring for and feeding a larger than usual census because the Gulfport V.A. Medical Center had evacuated its patients to Biloxi.  In the following days, knowing her house was a total loss, Karen slept in her office at the V.A. and served between 300 and 500 meals per day to patients, staff, and family members.  During our conversation Karen actually told me that she just felt lucky to be alive with so many that lost their lives in this unprecedented storm.

I listened to Gina Wack describe how she drove to the coast the day after the storm so she could help evacuate the patients from a nursing home there. Gina had to convince a national guard soldier that she was an official medical relief worker to get past a roadblock. She and others carefully physically lifted each patient and carried them onto an un-air-conditioned school bus for a ride to another facility in Wiggins, Mississippi.  She recounted trying to keep them drinking bottled water because the heat index was well over a hundred.  She did not lose the home she owns on the coast, but told me that eight people died in homes at the end of her street. 

I know there are hundreds of stories like these and I am certain there were dietitians in every community who were able to use their skills to organize relief efforts, to feed hungry evacuees, to find medications and supplies for those in need, and to touch the lives of others.  I have never been more proud of my colleagues and my national association than I am now.  After Katrina, before my electricity or phone or email were up and running again, the President of ADA and the state affiliate representative, Stacey Weintraub, had both attempted to contact me.  They wanted to know what they could do to help the R.D.’s in Mississippi and how they could best serve those in the affected areas.  By the following Tuesday, September 6th, they had established the ADA Foundation fund for disaster relief so that dietitians all over the country could donate money to those R.D.’s in need.  Grant applications are on the ADA website.

I also received e-mails from the Pennsylvania Dietetic Association.  They collected all types of office supplies and anything they thought would be helpful for a dietitian who might be starting over.  Three weeks later, I had five cartons of these gifts delivered to my home.  The Palm Beach Dietetic Association wants to “adopt a colleague” and they want the names and contact information for dietitians, interns and students who need help. The Houston Dietetic Association contacted me to say they were offering free CEU’s for anyone affected by the storm as well as posting job openings on their website at no charge.  In my efforts to re-plan and relocate our annual meeting for 2006, I have spoken to numerous dietitians from all over the country who want to come and speak for our meeting and they are waiving their honorariums as their contribution to our state’s recovery.  I hope you will donate to the ADAF disaster relief fund and I want to encourage you to attend the annual meeting in the spring.  We hope to donate a portion of the profit from the meeting to the ADAF fund and have lots of fun and fellowship in the process. Be proud of your profession and your professional organization.  Never underestimate what a small group of determined caring people can accomplish.