Thursday, October 10, 2013

One Year After Sandy: Stories of Life and Death in a Superstorm

One year after Hurricane Sandy, New York City is still recovering from the most violent storm this area has ever seen.  In her new book based on Pulitzer Prize winning reporting, investigative journalist Sherri Fink tells the riveting story of life and death decisions in a hospital fighting for its life during Hurricane Katrina, the kinds of decisions that could well be required in future superstorms anywhere.  Sherri Fink will talk about the haunting, disturbing story she uncovered on Monday, October 21, at 1:30 p.m. at the Central Queens YM & YWHA.  The Central Queens Y is located at 67-09 108 Street in Forest Hills.  Sherri Fink’s talk is open to the public, with a $7 donation suggested.

Sheri Finks
Sheri Fink’s landmark investigation of a New Orleans hospital ravaged by Hurricane Katrina is based on a trial of a doctor accused of second degree murder for deaths of patients.  Her account draws the reader into the lives of the doctors and nurses who struggled to survive and to preserve life amidst chaos. 

     
After Katrina struck and the floodwaters rose, the power failed, and the heat climbed, exhausted caregivers chose to designate certain patients last for rescue. Months later, several health professionals faced criminal allegations that they deliberately injected numerous patients with drugs to hasten their deaths.


In her new book, Fink exposes the burden of agonizing ethical decisions made under duress and reveals just how ill-prepared we are in America for the impact of large-scale disasters—and how we can do better.  In addition to being a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, Sheri Fink is also an M.D..  She has, herself, been a relief worker in disaster and combat zones, as well as working with humanitarian organizations on several continents.


More information about this event is available at 718 268-5011, ext. 151, or online at www.cqy.org or at  (718) 268-5011 ext. 151, or pkurtz@cqy.org.

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