Lisa Fortuna, MD MPH MDiv, Head of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in Puerto Rico

In December 2017, Dr. Lisa Fortuna, the Director of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, went on a medical mission trip to Puerto Rico.  Lindsay Kalter at the Boston Herald published Dr Fortuna’s description of her trip, available here.  Below is an excerpt.

“The people in the rural areas don’t have access to sufficient medical care. Many of the medications I brought were very useful. There are many diabetics who are running out of insulin.

I definitely encountered people who were experiencing classic symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Feeling really, really anxious and having panic attacks when there was rain or winds picking up.
…
There’s a strong campaign in Puerto Rico basically saying, “We will rise again.” Christmas is usually a very joyous monthlong period of time, and people are worried.

‘Do we have it in us to have that joy?’ It’s very somber.

But it’s almost like Puerto Rico has a heart, it has a rhythm. People want to be able to rebuild what they know. To stay in Puerto Rico and redevelop. To have hope in that.”