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Updated 08/18/2012 06:51 PM

Doctors say goodbye to Haitian patient

By: Web Staff

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- It was a bittersweet day for doctors from the Upstate Golisano Children's Hospital and the staff at the Ronald McDonald House in Syracuse Saturday. They said goodbye to eight-year-old Pelensky Joassin of Haiti, who had been in the city for the last two months.

The boy was brought to Upstate through the Partners in Health program for some much needed surgery. Pelensky was run over by a vehicle in 2009, severely damaging his urethra. After more than 100 doctor visits in Haiti, he and his dad came to Syracuse for complex surgery to help him return to a more normal life.

With the surgery now successful, the Joassins are returning home.

"Of course you're sad to see him go, but the whole goal of the visit was to get Pelensky's health improved and to get him back to Haiti, where he's from, functioning better than when he came and I believe we've got a durable long-term solution for him," said Pediatric Urologist Jonathan Riddell.

"Before, it was a bad situation. Now, it's a better situation than before. I'm happy. I'm happy," said Hyvernat Joassin, Pelensky’s father.

Pelensky says he's looking forward to being able to play with his friends again.