For years, Drs. Ric and Wendy Bonnell traveled to Haiti to support medical relief efforts in underserved communities. But in 2012, their work in Haiti became deeply personal.

​

While in the process of adopting their son, Mackenson, he suddenly became ill and was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. In a country where insulin, glucose testing supplies, and specialized care were nearly impossible to obtain, Ric began flying life-saving supplies from the United States just to keep Mackenson healthy.

 

As they navigated the challenges of managing his disease, the Bonnells made a troubling realization: in all their years working in Haiti, they had never encountered another child living with diabetes. It was not because the disease did not exist—it was because children with chronic illnesses often went undiagnosed, untreated, and unseen.

 

At the same time, pediatrician Dr. Chris Carpenter and his wife, Lisa Dickey, a public health expert, were facing a similar reality. They were caring for a teenage girl named Walencia who had also been newly diagnosed with diabetes. With no safe place for her to receive the care she needed, Chris and Lisa welcomed Walencia into their own apartment so they could help manage her treatment.

 

These two stories—of Mackenson and Walencia—revealed a devastating gap in Haiti’s health system. Children with chronic diseases had almost nowhere to go for care.

 

Determined to change that reality, Ric and Chris joined forces to create a new kind of clinic—one dedicated to caring for children with chronic illnesses such as diabetes.

 

Just six months after Mackenson’s diagnosis, the Kay Mackenson Clinic opened its doors. What began as a response to two children in need quickly became a lifeline for many more.

​

​