Project HOPE Couple Honored for Their Work
in the Aftermath of the Tsunami
MILLWOOD, Va., May 31 /PRNewswire/ -- President George W. Bush recently
presented the President's Volunteer Service Award to a Project HOPE couple as
an example of the lifetime dedication to service he hopes to instill in all
Americans.
The President's Volunteer Service Award was presented to Peter and Ranee
Selfusky, Gerardstown, WV, Wednesday, May 25 during an East Room Event
honoring volunteers and Asian Pacific Heritage Month.
Malaysian-born Ranee and her husband, Peter, were shocked when the most
destructive tsunami in the last century hit South Asia on December 26, 2004.
Two weeks later, the couple, both nurses at Winchester Medical Center, joined
Project HOPE on a humanitarian aid mission to Banda Aceh, Indonesia. On the
heels of this humanitarian aid mission, another tragedy struck the region. On
March 28, an earthquake off the coast of Indonesia brought further destruction
to an already devastated Nias Island. Called upon by the U.S. Navy, Project
HOPE once more set out to coordinate a rapid response. Project HOPE's call
for volunteers prompted another quick decision by the Selfuskys.
In total, 210 volunteers joined the Project HOPE effort to provide
emergency care aboard the Navy's hospital ship, the USNS Mercy.
"It was just heart-breaking to me," said Ranee of the disaster. "I felt
the Lord put burden in my heart."
Devoting hours of unpaid time to provide desperately needed medical aid to
survivors of the tsunami, the two helped reach thousands of Indonesians. In
total, the medical volunteers performed 38,954 medical procedures in the
aftermath of the tsunami and earthquake.
"Volunteers like Peter and Ranee are the lifeblood of our nation," said
John P. Howe III, M.D., president and CEO of Project HOPE. "This time of
great tragedy provided doctors and nurses from across the U.S. with an
opportunity to save lives and provide hope and healing to thousands in
desperate need."
Founded in 1958, Project HOPE (Health Opportunities for People Everywhere)
is dedicated to providing lasting solutions to health problems, with the
mission of helping people to help themselves. Identifiable to many by the SS
HOPE, the world's first peacetime hospital ship, Project HOPE now conducts
land-based medical training and health education programs in 35 countries
across five continents. For more information, please visit
http://www.projecthope.org.
CONTACT: LORI ALLESEE
PROJECT HOPE
(540) 837-2100
lallesee@projecthope.org
SOURCE Project HOPE
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Related links:
http://www.projecthope.org
CONTACT:
Lori Allesee of Project HOPE,
+1-540-837-2100, or lallesee@projecthope.org
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