Hello. I am Bob Langert, senior director of Social Responsibility at McDonald's. I am currently accompanying an Interplast volunteer surgical team to Loja, Ecuador. On this blog, I will share some of my thoughts and impressions.
It's Monday. We returned from our weekend respite, recovered from the first week of hard work, rearing to do more. This team is tireless in its desire to keep helping children. What keeps them energized? The answer is facing us in the waiting room. Just look at one year-old Darwin Lalangui, pictured here with her mother.
posted by Bob Langert @ 11:45 PM
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Hanging out in the recovery room is hit or miss. Sometimes it is very quiet and inactive. That can change in a second though when a patient arrives from surgery. Recovery nurse Barb Cummings is pictured here with anesthesiologist Steve Parker, taking care of Johe Suquilanda after a cleft repair. Barb says the first 15 minutes or so in recovery are SO important. She keeps a very close eye on Johe. This is Barb's first trip with Interplast, and she loves it. "It's less intimidating than I thought, and I like using my creativity here. You need to do more with less." I know what Barb meant, as I also had that feeling prior to the trip, but it disappeared as soon as we teamed up to heal and bring hope to these children.
posted by Bob Langert @ 11:44 PM
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The patients need to recover as well. I have been following Jakeline since her arrival last week for a serious burn in the back of her knee. It seemed that her personality had transformed here. I asked her today what made her recovery so joyful, and she said she could now get on with her life. Here I am with Jakeline and her mother, Maria, being discharged to do just that.
posted by Bob Langert @ 11:44 PM
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Hello! I am Bob Langert, and I am senior director of Social Responsibility for McDonald's.
I am in Loja, Ecuador, accompanying an Interplast surgical team.
Interplast, the first international humanitarian organization to provide free reconstructive surgery in developing countries, makes a direct and profound difference in the lives of 3,000 children each year who suffer physically or emotionally from a congenital deformity or injury. Renowned for the highest-quality medical care, Interplast works in partnership with volunteers and overseas medical colleagues to educate and empower local communities so that medical access continues year-round.
