Hurricane Relief

This letter was received by a member of Everdale Fields:

Well, although Galveston Island is no longer mentioned in the media other than in the local news, it is severely damaged and will take years to recover. My husband and I were fortunate to have only 3-feet of water in our home compared to the severe losses many of my friends and co-workers have sustained. At this time, we plan to move into our home by Monday and live in our half upstairs as the first floor is renovated. Shriners is still not yet open and I have not heard a definitive as to when it will reopen. Some of you may or may not realize that UTMB (the major medical center on the island) suffered serious damage (approximately $700 million). However, UTMB was only insured for $100 million. As such, UTMB is in complete turmoil and has plans to downsize and lay off nearly 4,000 employees. The changes at UTMB will seriously impact Shriners because every Shriner hospital has to be affiliated with a major medical center that focuses on teaching and research.

Also, the island itself looks terrible and is very sad. It looks like a large broken trash heap. The impact of UTMB downsizing will also have a serious economic impact on the island as well. It's so strange to know that one day your life is dandy and the next day everything you knew as safe and normal is gone.

Some of you have asked how you can help. Well, my husband and I are fine. We both have supportive friends and families as well. However, one of my patients who has been living on the island in an apartment (she is 18 and her mother is a US citizen but the patient is from Mexico) lost her drumset in the flood. She is not currently in Galveston but will return when the hospital reopens...she has many reconstructive and rehabilitative needs. I would like
to know some resources as to how this drumset can be replaced...I am positive the family was uninsured. Playing the drums has been something extremely important to this patient since her injury and we have put on two rock concerts at Shriners with her as the star drummer the past two years. Any suggestions you have as to how this drumset can be replaced would be greatly appreciated.

I guess I just don't want people to forget about Galveston. It's not famous like New Orleans but it's been my home for almost 15 years and I have grown to love living there...it's a wonderful community.

Thanks for listening -

Christine

Christine Tuden Neugebauer, MS, MT-BC, LPC
Music Therapist/Internshi p Director
Shriners Hospitals for Children - Galveston
Clinical Instructor
Department of Pediatrics
University of Texas Medical Branch
Galveston, TX 77550

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