Staff Spotlight: Dr. Donald Delva
Dr. Donald Delva celebrated his first anniversary as Lespwa Timoun Clinic’s Medical Director in February. Dr. Delva has spent the last year working with our partner clinic’s administration team to develop, implement and evaluate the medical practice at Lespwa Timoun.
So far, Dr. Delva’s favorite memory of working at the clinic was when he was able to help save the life of a young boy living in Crochu. Lespwa Timoun was hosting a mobile clinic in the remote mountain region when the boy’s mother brought him to see Dr. Delva, who diagnosed the child with an inguinal hernia. He soon realized the hernia was about to become strangulated and cut off the blood flow to the trapped tissue, a potentially life threatening complication if left untreated. “Luckily, I saw him in time,” Dr. Delva shared, “so I accompanied his mother and him to Bernard Mevs Hospital to be operated on quickly. On the way back, his mother did not know what to do to thank us because we had saved the life of her son.”
Dr. Delva told us that he’s inspired and motivated by the challenge of his position at Lespwa Timoun, and that he likes to experiment and loves being with the patients to help them.
When he’s not working at the clinic, Dr. Delva enjoys playing sports, dancing, listening to music and traveling. He also enjoys spending time with his wife, Marie Judith Chaperin, and their three children.
Dr. Delva is a ray of sunshine at the clinic, and always has a smile for his coworkers and patients, but he also cares deeply for the people he serves and understands their struggles. When asked what one thing he wishes people would ask or know about him, Dr. Delva replied, “I am a sensitive man, even if I don’t cry.”
We are so grateful for Dr. Delva’s empathy and compassion, and for his commitment to furthering the great work of the Lespwa Timoun Clinic. In a recent report on Lespwa Timoun’s activities in 2018, Dr. Delva described the clinic’s mission as providing quality healthcare with respect for human dignity. We have seen Dr. Delva’s commitment to that mission over the last year, and look forward to seeing how his leadership and ingenuity will bless Lespwa Timoun and the communities it serves in the years to come.
