Interplast and RMHC Loja surgical trip

Check Out Other Interplast Blogs

2005-02-28T09:09:00.000-08:00

Interplast has other blogs running in countries such as Peru and Vietnam, with more to come. Check them out at http://interplast.blogs.com/.

And to finish, some of the changed lives:

2005-02-04T11:57:00.000-08:00

Loja Kid 3

2005-02-04T11:56:00.000-08:00

Loja kid 3
Originally uploaded by interplast.

Loja Kid 2

2005-02-04T11:55:00.000-08:00

Loja kid 2
Originally uploaded by interplast.

Loja Kid 1

2005-02-04T11:54:00.000-08:00

Lojakid
Originally uploaded by interplast.

One of the cutest kids Interplast has helped in Loja.

Dr. Nadia Afridi, Dr. Richard Gillerman, Jose Luis Salazar, Bob Langert at a Press Conference in Quito

2005-01-27T17:22:00.000-08:00

Dr. Nadia Afridi, Dr. Richard Gillerman, Jose Luis Salazar, Bob Langert
Originally uploaded by interplast.

Yesterday, Dr. Richard Gillerman and Dr. Nadia Afridi joined our managing director, Jose Luis Salazar, and me, for a press conference at a McDonaldâs restaurant in Quito to summarize our wonderful trip. At the press conference, I summarized a couple of my lessons. First, I said if I can return back to my "normal" life with just a portion of the humanitarian spirit that this Interplast team of surgeons, anesthesiologists, and nurses possess, I would be a very fortunate man. I also learned first-hand the difference one individual can make. The financial support for missions like this are vital, but personal involvement is needed, too.

Raise the Bar on Corporate Volunteerism

2005-01-27T17:20:00.000-08:00

There are cynics who are suspicious of corporate motivations for philanthropy. My takeaway from this awesome experience is to keep giving—but raise the bar on corporate volunteerism. While keeping the fiscal contributions flowing, the corporate world and its work force can do more to balance the equation. We need half money / half big-hearted people. Beyond what they do in their own communities, employees can get directly involved with causes and nonprofit organizations that their company supports. After all, corporations relish win-win situations. I know the Loja patients like Francisco, Wilma, Angel and Gladys won. I know the Interplast team sure had a winning feeling, including me. Ronald McDonald House Charities wins by making these smart grants where the number of children that are directly and tangibly helped keeps multiplying. Lastly, McDonald’s wins because our business is not just about serving food and fun. Giving back is not a corporate shell game; it is about doing our small part to add to a sustainable society.

Our Last Night in Loja

2005-01-27T17:16:00.000-08:00

Dr. Nelson Samaniego
Originally uploaded by interplast.

It is tradition to have a celebratory dinner with those from the hospital and Loja that helped us provide medical care for the children. The grand prize for leadership in their community ought to go to Dr. Nelson and Cora Samaniego, who are the local partners to Interplast that due a myriad of efforts to support, promote and coordinate the mission trip

Cora Samaniego

2005-01-27T17:14:00.000-08:00

Cora Samaniego
Originally uploaded by interplast.

Changing Lives

2005-01-27T17:11:00.000-08:00

We capped the evening with a surprise song. I wrote the lyrics, and Helena Hellberg sang it to the tune of Amazing Grace. Her voice was as lovely as the entire experience.

CHANGING LIVES

Changing lives
With Interplast.
They bring a smile to all!
And special gifts they bring to bare,
But most of all they care.

Changing lives
Right here in Loja.
Our partners are the best!
The Samaniego’s paved the way,
We wish we all could stay.

Changing lives
Now back home we go,
With lasting memories!
Y queremos a ustedes agradezerles ya,
El ayuda que siempre nos dan.

Interplast Loja Team Picture

2005-01-27T17:08:00.000-08:00

group
Originally uploaded by interplast.

Team picture: seated, left to right: Bob Langert, Lisa Gould, Richard Gillerman, Nadia Afridi, Tom Moore, and Jim Mahoney. Standing, left to right: Barb Cummins, Katherine Griffin, Pam St. Louis, Ken Bloome, Dawn Yost, Helena Hellberg, and Steve Parker.

More to Come, Bear With Me...

2005-01-25T17:26:00.000-08:00

I have another set of pictures to come, and more information, but I have been really busy coming home back to America, adjusting to Chicago weather, and spending time with my family. I will have more up tommorrow morning, I promise.

The Numbers Do Not Tell The Whole Story

2005-01-20T15:00:00.001-08:00

Today is our last day. The numbers are important, but they do not convey the teamwork and coordinated effort that is necessary to achieve such a successful Interplast trip. Our two weeks in Loja achieved the following: 139 initial clinic evaluations; 65 registered patients; and 57 operations that totaled 97 procedures. There were 20 clefts; 32 burns; and 45 other procedures (mostly ear and hand cases).

You have seen many photos of the patients whose lives where changed during this trip. They all touched me so much. I am very proud of Ronald McDonald House Charities for sponsoring this trip, and extremely grateful for my own volunteer experience. I have lived and breathed the whole picture of what it takes to deliver the medical care for the people served here, and I have felt apart of something very special, unique, and compassionate.

This is one of my last entries on this blog, and I wanted to finish with a tribute to the Interplast team themselves. If I have absorbed and retained just a portion of their humanitarian selflessness, I will be a fortunate recipient of their generous spirit.

The Anesthesiologist: From Invisibility to Transparency

2005-01-20T15:00:00.000-08:00

Drs. Richard Gillerman, Jim Mahoney, and Steve Parker
Originally uploaded by interplast.

Beforehand, I never knew the important role of the anesthesiologist. Now I realize the skills and importance of their work. And they were flawless during the trip. From left to right: Dr. Richard Gillerman was not only a tireless team leader, but a wonderful roommate. Dr. Jim Mahoney was a great jokester (the wrench in the picture did have a purpose!--to close off the oxygen take behind him). Dr. Steve Parker made an impression upon me the very first day when he told me I would be surprised about the vital nature of the anesthesiologist's work. And I was.

The Surgeons: Tremendously Skilled and Generous

2005-01-20T14:58:00.000-08:00

Doctors Nadia Afridi, Tom Moore, and Lisa Gould
Originally uploaded by interplast.

Any preconceived notions I had of surgeons were immediately eliminated as Doctors Nadia Afridi, Tom Moore (Chief of Surgery), and Lisa Gould generously included me in on their work and thoughts. I not only gained even more respect for the technical nature of what they do, but most of all I saw how they interacted with their patients and cared for them so much.

The Operating Room Nurses: Always on the Move

2005-01-20T13:59:00.000-08:00

Dawn Yost and Pam St. Louis
Originally uploaded by interplast.

It was hard to pin down Dawn Yost and Pam St. Louis because they hardly relaxed. They were the first to arrive because they set everything up and they were the last to leave. In the operating room, they helped and assisted the surgeons seamlessly.

The Recovery Room Nurses: Bringing Comfort

2005-01-20T13:54:00.000-08:00

Barb Cummins, Eva, and Katherine Griffin
Originally uploaded by interplast.

I wrote in an earlier blog about the recovery room. Besides comfort, the recovery room nurses also bring a sense of joy and fun to the patients who need a boost when they wake up after surgery. Here is Barb Cummins and Katherine Griffin, flanking hospital nurse, Eva, enjoying some Ecuadorian music.

The Pediatrician: Care Personified

2005-01-20T13:52:00.000-08:00

Dr. Ken Bloome and Two Pediatric Nurses
Originally uploaded by interplast.

Dr. Ken Bloome is here with a pair of pediatric nurses, including the hospital chief of pediatrics on his left. I spent a lot of time with Ken, and I hope that I, by osmosis, have taken in some of his compassion, humor and engaging personality.

The Support Team

2005-01-20T13:30:00.001-08:00

Helena and Bob
Originally uploaded by interplast.

Helena Hellberg and I rounded up the team. Helena kept the records and continuously translated for the team. Helena has a great future ahead of her. For me, I tried to fulfill my "gofer" job responsibilities, and through this blog, I hope that I have captured the essence of an Interplast team.

Mesmerized

2005-01-19T15:35:00.000-08:00

Fany
Originally uploaded by interplast.

The first girl I saw upon arrival at the hospital had mesmerizing brown eyes and incredibly smooth skin. Fany, 1½ years old, and her mother were slotted into the schedule last minute. She is in for a macrostomia repair, which is a little unusual as I understand it (notice the left side of Fany's mouth and the cleft opening that stretches to her ear).

Return of the Saraguro

2005-01-19T15:31:00.001-08:00

Lourdes' Extra Toe
Originally uploaded by interplast.

Pictured here is Pam St. Louis getting 12 year old Saraguro native Lourdes ready for surgery to remove an extra toe (polydacaly). Lourdes is pictured earlier in this blog as well, during the clinic. I talked to Lourdes and her mother Maria later. Lourdes said she couldn't wait to wear shoes and run with her friends.

The Making of an Ear

2005-01-19T15:31:00.000-08:00

Dr. Tom Moore made an ear today. I witnessed what Tom had told me about the first day--magic unfolding. Tom went on to take a rib graft and then artistically craft it into the shape of an ear. I was impressed, as I am sure the teenage boy will be, Fredy. The past day has had a steady flow of the unusual, including the return of the Saraguro.

A Very Proud Woman

2005-01-19T15:30:00.000-08:00

A Very Proud Woman
Originally uploaded by interplast.

Lourdes mother (pictured with Helena, Ken and Richard of Interplast) is a fascinating character. She has six children; widowed for 10 years; makes cheese for a living; and is a very proud woman. I had to retake a Polaroid picture of her because she did not like her hair. So she went into the bathroom, wetted and combed her hair, repositioned her clothes, all in order to retake a photo she could bring back to her village.

Much Accomplished

2005-01-19T15:29:00.000-08:00

As we finished the day, we had completed over 80 procedures since our arrival in Loja 11 days ago…and it continues to mesmerize me.

Air Gladys

2005-01-18T17:20:00.001-08:00

Air Gladys
Originally uploaded by interplast.

Here I am pictured with my other favorite, Gladys, who had her cleft lip first repaired by Interplast in 2002. Now her palate has been fixed. In my hands, she flies in the air and is anxious to go home, play with her dolls, and dance to music.

Each of us -- Ecuadorian patient and Interplast team member -- has so much to be thankful for in our own way, each assisted by helping hands in different ways.

Nadia and Angel

2005-01-18T17:20:00.000-08:00

Nadia and Angel
Originally uploaded by interplast.

Two of my favorites were in the pediatric ward, Angel Cartuche, 3, and Gladys Gualan, 5. They have been in very good hands. Surgeon Nadia Afridi is pictured here changing Angel's dressings. The two seem as different as Loja and NYC, but maybe not. Angel walked two hours from a northern village, and burned himself playing with a lamp filled with gasoline a year ago. Nadia's family is from Pakistan, raised in Canada, and now newly married, living in NYC/Manhattan. Nadia said she's really admired Angel because he has shown a lot of strength and courage through the operational ordeal. This could describe Nadia as well.

Nadia has been in good hands, too. As a Webster fellow, she learns and operates by working with Dr. Moore and Dr. Gould on the team. "You see one, do one, and teach one", Nadia remarked. "That's the way to learn".

Antonia Lugo

2005-01-18T17:19:00.000-08:00

Antonia Lugo
Originally uploaded by interplast.

This is Antonia Lugo, an adorable 11 month-old. It took two and a half hours for the doctors to repair her cleft lip, but everything went well, and she is recovering nicely. She is a doll and lit up the pediatric ward.

Recovery, Part One: Darwin Lalangui

2005-01-17T23:45:00.000-08:00

Recovery, Part One: Darwin Lalangui
Originally uploaded by interplast.

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.

Recovery Part Three: You Need To Do More With Less

2005-01-17T23:44:00.001-08:00

Recovery Part Three: You Need To Do More With Less
Originally uploaded by interplast.

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.

Recovery Part Two: Jakeline, Her Mother Maria, and Myself

2005-01-17T23:44:00.000-08:00

Recovery Part Two: Jakeline, Her Mother Maria, and Myself
Originally uploaded by interplast.

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.

An Ordinary Day, Extraordinary Hearts - 5:30 PM

2005-01-15T17:03:00.000-08:00

I know I will be asked what a typical day is like. I think these pictures show it the best, but nothing can compare to seeing the looks on the children's faces, when they emerge from surgery. It truly cannot be explained in words.

An Ordinary Day, Extraordinary Hearts - 5:00 PM

2005-01-15T17:00:00.000-08:00

bob12
Originally uploaded by interplast.

Joy as seen through Fausto David Cartuce Saraguro, 11, who looks like he is ready to hit the futbol field after the successful web release in his hand.

The look on his face tells me that I have a made a difference in the world today.

An Ordinary Day, Extraordinary Hearts - 3:45 PM

2005-01-15T16:59:00.000-08:00

bob11
Originally uploaded by interplast.

As with Dr. Moore, this young boy really touched me too, because I knew Francisco was reborn due to Tom's multiple surgeries. With this third surgery (assisted by Dr. Nadia Afridi), a skin graft is added to bring out the ear more, finishing the ear. Dr. Moore is returning to Guayaquil in the Spring to teach Microtia III as part of the Visiting Educator program. I can tell that Tom really gets a kick out of passing on his knowledge.

An Ordinary Day, Extraordinary Hearts - 3:00 PM

2005-01-15T16:58:00.000-08:00

bob10
Originally uploaded by interplast.

Dr. Thomas Moore gleamed when Francisco arrived in the waiting room, and he examined his previous microtia (ear) surgery. This is the third time back for Francisco who was bouncing with joy around the reception area. Dr. Moore told me that he used to hide his ear with long hair. Now he regularly sports a short cut.

An Ordinary Day, Extraordinary Hearts - 1:30 PM

2005-01-15T16:57:00.000-08:00

bob9a
Originally uploaded by interplast.

Seemingly out of nowhere (actually from the far away highlands) came this Saraguro mother/daughter pair in their very identifiable traditional dress. Interplast examined and scheduled burn work for next week.

An Ordinary Day, Extraordinary Hearts - 1:00 PM

2005-01-15T16:56:00.000-08:00

bob9
Originally uploaded by interplast.

The nurses show their appreciation after the lecture from Helena and Katherine.

An Ordinary Day, Extraordinary Hearts - 11:30 AM

2005-01-15T16:54:00.000-08:00

bob8
Originally uploaded by interplast.

Helena Hellberg translating for Katherine Griffin on proper hand washing and other cleaning protocol.

Education is another pillar of Interplast, as seen today in the first of a series of lectures. Katherine Griffin is here with our all-purpose, all-star volunteer from Sweden.

Helena Hellberg, who is her last year at University of Chalmers in Sweden, does the valuable job of translating for the team, so the Interplast volunteers are always calling for Helena.

An Ordinary Day, Extraordinary Hearts - 10:15 AM

2005-01-15T16:52:00.000-08:00

bob7
Originally uploaded by interplast.

Local general surgeon, Dr. Jack Banda, working with Dr. Lisa Gould from Interplast on a complicated hand case. Dr. Banda later remarked that he is so thrilled to work with the premier Interplast team: "I do this because I learn so much, and I help people who are poor".

An Ordinary Day, Extraordinary Hearts - 9:30 AM

2005-01-15T16:49:00.000-08:00

LIGHTS OUT! I came back to the operating floor and the electricity had gone out. The team was prepared, and safely continued with a flashlight momentarily before the resumption of electricity.

An Ordinary Day, Extraordinary Hearts - 9:00 AM

2005-01-15T16:47:00.000-08:00

bob4
Originally uploaded by interplast.

This is the wall behind a patient. It says, "No spitting on the floor". And notice the broken light. Conditions here are a little off-kilter, but things work.

An Ordinary Day, Extraordinary Hearts - 8:45 AM

2005-01-15T16:46:00.000-08:00

bob3
Originally uploaded by interplast.

This leg belongs to Jaluline Jaramillo Pinzo, 26. Here is her awful burn being examined at the clinic by the Interplast doctors.

An Ordinary Day, Extraordinary Hearts - 8:30 AM

2005-01-15T16:45:00.000-08:00

bob2
Originally uploaded by interplast.

This is me with some of the nurses. I am the one in the back row, second from the right, in case you couldn't guess.

I was impressed by their compassion for the children.

You can see some of the pediatric nurses are amused by my height. Some, such as the one on the far right, are even a little terrified.

An Ordinary Day, Extraordinary Hearts - 8:15 AM

2005-01-15T16:41:00.000-08:00

bob1
Originally uploaded by interplast.

Dr. Bloome and Nurse Griffin with Alex Javier Jimbo Jumbo, 7, who had a burn contracture release. Ken has a special knack of making the kids laugh.

An Ordinary Day, Extraordinary Hearts - 8:00 AM

2005-01-15T16:39:00.000-08:00

8:00 AM: First, I accompanied Dr. Ken Bloome and Nurse Katherine Griffin to see the overnight patients.

Dany in 2003 After His Interplast Surgery

2005-01-15T16:33:00.001-08:00

danny after surgery1
Originally uploaded by interplast.

This is Dany after his surgery in 2003. Interplast boardmember Sheila Wolfson (the wonderful woman who provided all of the 2003 pictures) is reading a book to Dany in the recovery room.

Making The Rounds: A Typical Day

2005-01-15T16:33:00.000-08:00

I’m now getting a sense of a “day in the life” of an Interplast team. It’s like those traffic roundabouts which have designated lanes, yet there is still the unexpected darting all over the road.

These pictures and posts were recorded Friday, but I was so busy working that I did not have any energy left to post them until now. I posted them in the order that they happened, so the beginning of the day is one post above this, and the end of the day is at the top of this section. I apologize for any confusion.

Dany in 2003 Before His Interplast Surgery

2005-01-15T16:31:00.000-08:00

danny1
Originally uploaded by interplast.

This is a picture of Dany (from a few postings ago) from before his Interplast surgery in 2003.

Luz and Her Mother

2005-01-15T16:11:00.000-08:00

Luz
Originally uploaded by interplast.

Luz and her mother. Unfortunately, Luz is not well enough to handle the surgery, so we can only hope that she comes back next year, and is more healthy.

Cases like hers emphasize how important it is to build medical infrastructure so that local doctors can operate year round, so that no child must wait.

A Heartbreaking Case, A Strengthened Resolve

2005-01-15T13:22:00.000-08:00

Luz’s mother wore the traditional Ecuadorian black hat, flowing skirt and pancho. She also wore a grief that seemed to be just as ingrained.

She held her daughter and waited.

This was not the first time she waited in Loja with hundreds of others wanting surgery for their children. Luz, now 2, was born with a cleft lip. Last year, Luz’s family made the same eight hour journey from the Peruvian border only to be told that it would not be safe to operate on Luz, for she was too sick with fever and an upper respiratory infection. Tragically, Luz was sick again this year, making her little body too weak to undergo surgery.

It was nothing less than heartbreaking.

But when these U.S. doctors go overseas to perform surgery, they bring the same excellent safety standards and high-quality medical practices they use at home with them. There was nothing to be done for Luz this year, for even medicine would not have strengthened her enough during the two-week stay of the doctors. Hopefully, Luz will return healthy next year.

It’s cases like Luz’s that reinforce Interplast’s focus on training and empowering local doctors so that they can perform surgery themselves year-round and for generations to come. Interplast’s vision is a world in which Luz would only have to wait until she was healthy---and not another day longer.

Alexander before Interplast

2005-01-14T15:31:00.000-08:00

Alexander before Interplast
Originally uploaded by interplast.

This is a picture of Alexander from 2003. A few days ago I posted a picture of him before he had his cleft palate repaired, but two years after his bilateral cleft lip was repaired. He had to have the lip repaired before the Interplast team could work on his palate. It is truly amazing to look at this picture and think that this child is the same person as the happy, mischievious kid featured in my "Alexander" posting.

Lisa

2005-01-13T18:02:00.000-08:00

Lisa
Originally uploaded by interplast.

This is Dr. Lisa Gould with Dany, a six year-old who is here for his third surgery after playing with drain acid and then rubbing his eyes as a two year-old.

Franco

2005-01-13T17:53:00.000-08:00

Franco
Originally uploaded by interplast.

26 year-old Franco had been burned so severely that his chin was attached to his chest for three years without care.

The Burning Issue of the Day

2005-01-13T17:23:00.000-08:00

Cleft palates get a lot of attention, and deservedly so. But the burning issue that this Interplast team sees emerging is an increasing amount of burns to the face, neck, armpits and backs of legs. Just look at some of the cases today:

• Angel, 3, who trekked three hours here. Things went wrong for him while playing with a gasoline lamp.

• Dany, 6, here for his 3rd surgery for a burn incurred at 2 years old while playing with a drain acid and then rubbing his eyes.

• Franco, 26, with burns so severe his chin was attached to his chest for three years without care. (Pictured prior to surgery.)

• Wilma, 27, suffering an accident with a gas lamp.

As you can see, all were “household” accidents. I knew living conditions here were wanting, but it’s more rudimentary than what I envisioned.

Fixing cleft palates bring with it the immediate satisfaction of a smile—and that’s great. Fixing burns are not quite as transparent. While these burns are not pretty, the real magic these plastic surgeons provide is the less obvious yet tremendous gift of unleashing freedom of movement. As Dr. Lisa Gould remarked during her operation on Wilma, now she’ll be able to brush her hair.

Bob and Gladys

2005-01-12T17:20:00.000-08:00

Bob and Gladys
Originally uploaded by interplast.

Five year old Gladys is being weighed by Bob. Gladys lives 6 hours north of Loja, and like Alexander, has had a cleft lip previously repaired by Interplast. She needs her cleft palate repaired, and loves dolls, dancing, and music.

Mastery, Confidence, and Compassion

2005-01-12T16:28:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was the first day of surgery in Loja. The dusty waiting room with its two narrow benches was filled with seven nervous families. Many live in the mountains surrounding this small city; some had never left their villages before.

And here they were, handing their children to kind nurses and doctors they had never met and who spoke a foreign language - all with the hope that their children might have a bright future.

The babies and very young children of course cry when they leave the comfort of their mothers, despite the comforts the nurses and I try to provide. But very soon the children are peacefully sleeping on the operating table.

The surgeons perform their task, repairing little bodies injured or disabled in some way, with mastery, confidence, and compassion.

After the surgery, the children awake uncomfortable and/or scared, but soon the rest of the team (anesthesiologists, pediatricians, and nurses) work together to carefully medicate the child to make her or him feel a little better.

I go to the waiting room and call for the mother in very broken Spanish. They nervously walk through the gates of the waiting room with me; I get teary myself as I try to imagine what must be going through their minds. I help them put on sterile gowns and little booties on their shoes and walk to the recovery room where they now bravely hold back the tears as they see their tiny child repaired. Dutifully, they hold their child tightly, shyly sing and look into the child’s eyes and provide the comfort as only they can.

The Intoxicating Motivation

2005-01-12T14:09:00.000-08:00

The question I have been asking myself since I met the medical team when we were departing Miami bound for Equador, is why they leave the comfort of their home and all their earning power to do this volunteer work.

Tom, the silver-fox seasoned surgeon, says this experience is like “magic” and wonders why more don’t do the same. Nadia, the sprite and spirited Webster fellow, says, “Organizations like Interplast serve to remind us of our gifts and the need to share them,” and that working with children and “their innocence is always intoxicating and rejuvenating.”

I thought “intoxicating” expresses the sense I feel from the medical team. They are all brimming with an inner drive to help people. And they act upon it. It is very humbling to observe.

The medical team here in Loja really appreciates Ronald McDonald House Charities sponsorship of this trip. But the giving that these doctors and nurses provide is more extraordinary. By my calculations, they quintuple the RHMC donation of about $50,000 to fund this trip, including the surgeries and professional education outreach.

We are on our third day here, and I think I am now intoxicated as well.

Alexander

2005-01-12T11:56:00.000-08:00

Alexander
Originally uploaded by interplast.

This is Alexander, a precocious 3 year old. Interplast repaired his bilateral cleft lip when he was a baby, and now he is ready to have his cleft palate repaired.

Alexander is a wonderful example of how Interplast changes lives. Many times children with cleft lips are ostracized and mocked, and their mothers are sometimes treated as if their child's disfigurement is indicative of the mother's sins.

As you can see, Alexander no longer has to worry about being mistreated, and has blossmed into a happy, adorable kid.

Dr. Gillerman Examining Alexander

2005-01-12T11:49:00.000-08:00

Dr. Gillerman examining Alexander
Originally uploaded by interplast.

Dr. Gillerman discusses the procedure that will repair Alexander's cleft palate with his mother.

Many Eager Interplast Patients

2005-01-12T11:01:00.000-08:00

Loja.crowd2
Originally uploaded by interplast.

More than 300 people - some traveling for more than 8 hours on foot and bus - came to the Interplast "clinic" in Loja, Ecuador. Clinic is a day when medical professionals evaluate the cases of children in need.

Jorge, Richard, and Bob

2005-01-12T10:44:00.000-08:00

Jorge, Richard, and Bob
Originally uploaded by interplast.

Interplast team members met Dr. Jorge Palacios, Interplast Surgical Outreach Director in Ecuador, in Guayaquil before departing on their 8 hour bus ride through the mountains to Loja.

From left to right: Dr. Jorge Palacios, Interplast Surgical Outreach Director in Ecuador; Dr. Richard Gillerman, Interplast board member and Loja team leader; and Bob Langert, senior director of social responsibility for McDonald's.

A Happy Interplast Patient

2005-01-11T16:20:00.000-08:00

IMG_0164
Originally uploaded by interplast.

The Invisible Man in the Operating Room

2005-01-11T15:09:00.000-08:00

What one word describes my first time in an operating room?

Steadiness.

Steadiness especially marked the work of the anestheiologists. Richard, the team leader, told me their job is to be invisible by providing a perfect background environment for the surgeon. So, in essence, Richard said what they do is secret. To be good is to have no limelight. Can you imagine if you are perfect at what you do, yet no one notices?

Richard compared their "invisible" nature to that of a submarine. He served in the Navy on submarine patrols...with no one knowing their whereabouts.

Now I know the silent strength behind a steady operating room--the anesthesiologist.

Bob Langert's First Post

2005-01-10T16:14:00.000-08:00

At my first day at the clinic, I was awed by both the children´s sense of hope and the doctors that gave them hope.

The 12-person Interplast medical team have the experience of 100 trips behind them already. Many traveled from as far as Juneau, Alaska and Stockholm, Sweden--and all have a genuine inner drive to help these sweet, quiet children.

Most of the children don´t smile yet, but are ready to burst in smile when then are chosen as an operable case.

As the surgeons Tom, Lisa and Nadia examined more than 125 patients this first day, I was impressed with their knowledge and professionalism. But I expected that. So what really impressed me were their skills of humanity. Each doctor gave rapt attention to every patient.

By the end of the day, the team had the next two weeks of surgery scheduled.

Dr. Richard Gillerman's First Post: Evaluation Day

2005-01-10T15:51:00.000-08:00

We evaluated more than 125 cases today. Tomorrow we will begin operating on many children and adults who suffer from cleft lips and palates and severe burns.

There were more than 300 people--children and their families, as well as some adults and teenagers who traveled long distances by themselves for the possibility of surgery.

Despite the high numbers of patients, the day went smoothly, largely thanks to our local partners, Dr. Nelson Samaniego and his wife Cora, who have been our hosts here in Loja for 20 years.

In addition, six local people gave their vacation time to help us with translating and coordination. Also, six medical residents observed clinic today, with the hope that one day they may be empowered to provide the reconstructive surgeries themselves one day.

Interplast Surgical Team Trip

2005-01-10T15:49:00.000-08:00

Loja, Ecuador January 2005

For nearly 20 years, Interplast has worked in Loja, Ecuador. From January 10-21, volunteer medical professionals (three plastic surgeons, three anesthesiologists, one pediatrician and four nurses) are expected to provide life-changing reconstructive surgery for approximately 75 children who have severe burn injuries and disfiguring birth defects, including cleft lips and palates. In addition, there will also be an opportunity for the doctors to provide acute burn education and training, in conjunction with a new burn unit at the local hospital.

This trip is generously sponsored by Ronald McDonald House Charities. Bob Langert, senior director for social responsibility for McDonald’s, has kindly agreed to give up his time to participate in this trip. Mr. Langert and the other team members will arrive in Guayaguil on Saturday, January 8. On Sunday, the team will travel by bus to Loja. Clinic-- a day when medical professionals evaluate the cases of children in need--will take place on Monday. This is a day when the hospital is typically filled with the families of hundreds of children, hoping their child will be able to receive the reconstructive surgery that could provide a better life for their child.

According to UNICEF, nearly 70 percent of Ecuador’s children live in poverty. In Interplast service areas like Ecuador, impoverished people generally do not have access to even basic medical services, let alone reconstructive plastic surgery. The supply of trained plastic surgeons in developing countries is often quite limited. Even where some surgeons are available, poor people in developing countries do not generally have the financial resources to afford such care, and must compete against an overwhelming demand for medical services by their fellow citizens.

About Interplast

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.

Interplast Provides Solutions

Interplast cares for children and adults who might otherwise be sentenced to a lifetime of devastation and suffering. Interplast’s programs provide corrective surgery and related care for impoverished patients with congenital deformities or other disabling conditions, including severe burns and hand injuries. The organization’s scope of services includes:
Partnering with surgeons and other medical professionals in developing countries to coordinate locally-managed surgical outreach programs.
Conducting educational workshops to provide advanced training in specialized skills for host country medical professionals.
Sending volunteer medical teams overseas to perform surgery and assist in skills transfer.

Interplast Manages Programs in More Than 25 Different Sites Around the World

Interplast manages medical programs in more than 25 different sites around the world. Performing surgery and/or providing advanced medical training for local physicians and nurses, volunteers this year will work in Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Honduras, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Nicaragua, Peru, Sri Lanka, Zambia and Vietnam. Interplast has Surgical Outreach Centers in Bangladesh, Ecuador, Nepal, Peru and Zambia. Interplast provides support to the centers with funding, quality review, technological support and advanced medical training.

For more information, please contact Interplast at 650.962.0123 or www.interplast.org.

Medical Professionals and McDonald’s® Executive Donate Time for Surgical Trip

2005-01-10T15:43:00.000-08:00

Ronald McDonald House Charities® (RMHC®) Helps to Heal the Lives of Children with Burn Injuries and Birth Defects in Ecuador

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA -- From January 10-21, volunteer medical professionals from around the United States will travel to Loja, Ecuador to provide life-changing reconstructive surgery for children who have severe burn injuries and disfiguring birth defects, including cleft lips and palates.

“Many impoverished children around the world do not have access to basic medical care, let alone the reconstructive plastic surgery they need to lead normal, productive lives,” said Ken Barun, president and CEO of RMHC. “Ronald McDonald House Charities understands this great need and over the past six years has granted more than $3 million to sponsor Interplast trips and training for local doctors to provide continuing care to these children.”

Interplast depends on generous donors like RMHC and volunteers who give their time to provide life-changing surgeries to children in developing countries. Volunteers like Bob Langert, senior director of Social Responsibility for the McDonald’s Corporation, who will donate two weeks of his time to help the surgical team in Loja. For more than 30 years, McDonald’s®, its Owner/Operators, suppliers and employees have supported the caring cause of RMHC and its mission to directly improve the health and well being of children.

“I am excited about the opportunity to help these children who suffer from birth defects, burns and other injuries,” said Langert. “This trip offers the chance not only to demonstrate McDonald’s longstanding commitment to giving back and volunteering in communities – but also to transform the lives of children in need.”

Worldwide, more than 100,000 children die from fire and burns each year. Tens of thousands more live with the physical and psychological scars of disfigurement and permanent disability. Among children age 5-14, the World Health Organization reports that fire-related burns rank ninth among the leading causes of disease. Most of the burn victims do not have immediate access to adequate burn care, so their injuries heal by themselves, creating scar tissue that can destroy function and movement and disfigure them in ways unimaginable.

In addition to providing surgeries, the volunteer doctors will also provide acute burn education and training, in conjunction with a new burn unit at the local hospital. (Interplast provides educational opportunities, like this burn training, to educate and empower local communities so that medical access continues year-round.) For nearly 20 years, Interplast has worked in Loja, Ecuador, where nearly 70 percent of the children live in poverty, according to UNICEF.

For more information or interviews (in-country or here in the U.S.) with Bob Langert or volunteer doctors and nurses, please contact Sara Anderson at 650.934.3305 or sara@interplast.org.

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. Interplast works in partnership with volunteers and overseas medical colleagues to educate and empower local communities so that medical access continues year-round. www.interplast.org.

RMHC, a non-profit, 501 (c)(3) corporation, creates, finds and supports programs that directly improve the health and well being of children. The Charity makes an immediate, positive impact on children's lives through its global network of 181 local Chapters in 48 countries and its three core programs: the Ronald McDonald House®, Ronald McDonald Family Room and Ronald McDonald Care Mobile. RMHC and its global network of local Chapters have awarded more than US$400 million in grants and program services to children's non-profit organizations around the world. For more information, visit www.rmhc.org.