Press Conference WEDNESDAY, 12/21 at 11 a.m., at 28 NE 54th ST.
The family members of Father Gerard ("Gerry") Jean-Juste --wrongfully imprisoned in Haiti since July 21 and seriously ill -- including his sisters Francine and Yvette and niece Fayola, hold a press conference Wednesday at 11 a.m. at 28 NE 54th Street to urgently plead for his release on medical grounds. They have sent an open letter to President Bush and Interim Prime Minister of Haiti Gerard Latortue calling for his release as a simple humanitarian gesture during Christmas.
Dr. John A. Carroll's December 1 medical report on Father Jean-Juste states, "Assessment: Father Jean-Juste has massive lymphadenopathy in the cervical and axillary regions along with an abnormal complete blood count. The lymph nodes have increased in size since my exam in September, 2005. Causes for these findings are numerous including hematologic cancers, metastasic cancer, and a host of infectious diseases. ... Plan: Father Jean-Juste needs an extensive medical work up, CAT scan, and surgical biopsy of the cervical and/or axillary lymph nodes to determine their etiology (cause) and to begin appropriate treatment immediately. Many cancers of the blood have a good prognosis when treated early by specialists."
Jean-Juste family members will be joined by members of the community at the press conference.
Committee to Free Father Jean-Juste contacts: Steven Forester 786 877-6999, Marleine Bastien 305 756-8050, Lavarice Gaudin 786 290-1750, Carolyn Thompson 786 333-8231