Alex Kim blogs about his second trip to Guatemala as a Surgicorps International volunteer. Alex’s dad, Dr. David Kim, is leading the trip’s medical team this year.
[Read more…] about Guatemala Diary
Bhutan, April 2011 – Pema Yengehen
In the words of volunteer Mario Gutierrez
Every once in while on these surgical volunteer camps reality raises its head, stares you in the face, strikes you deep down in your soul and reminds you just why we do this. Today was a one of those days. After the organized chaos of the first couple of days of getting to know each other, setting up the supply room, organizing the operating theater and just getting into the daily routine of the ebb and flow from pre-op to recovery, the third day usually goes smoothly. That day, we had a full schedule and thought we would be there late, but this remarkable team of 18 gelled very quickly, and surprisingly we were nearly through 13 cases in reasonable time. Lots of cleft palates, cleft lips, fistulas, a variety of burn contractures, cute kid with ear tags that Dr. Jack removed under local, and then, the last case, PATIENT #36 came out of surgery. [Read more…] about Bhutan, April 2011 – Pema Yengehen
The Story of Wangdi – The Bear Warrior
Paro, Bhutan
Wangdi is a 64 year old male who lives in the village of Punakua, a two hour drive from the Capital City of Thimphu. Three years ago, Wangdi and some of the other villagers were rebuilding their homes. When he and his friend went into the forest in search of more wood they had an unfortunate surprise encounter with a large bear and her three cubs that had been sleeping under a tree. While Wangdi’s friend managed to run away, the bear went after Wangdi, viciously attacking his face and head. With his head halfway inside the bear’s mouth, Wangdi desperately tried to pry himself free. In the process, the bear tore three of Wangdi’s fingers off his left hand. With his right hand, he was able to pull out his long knife from his “gho” and stab the bear twice before losing consciousness. In the meantime, his friend ran back to the village to get help. Although he was badly wounded, they were able to get him to the hospital and saved his life. Despite his terrible wounds he asked his friends to go back and try and find his watch, which had come off during the attack. Although they didn’t find it, they did find the bear lying dead a few yards from where they had found Wangdi. Today, Wanghi’s face remains badly scarred from the attack, although time and surgery have improved his appearance. He wears a fur hat to cover the loss of scalp on his head and stylish dark aviator glasses to mask the damage to his eyes.
He was first operated by Surgicorps in 2007 to reconstruct and reposition his eye socket. He has been back each year for additional surgeries. In 2010 a staged reconstruction of his nasal cavity was conducted with a rib bone graft, and his badly deformed eye was also further reconstructed. He’s back again this year (with cooler looking dark shades) to re-adjust the positioning of his lower eyelids to help stop his constant tearing and protect his eyes. He still carries his trusty knife with him at all times and says he’s very grateful that he still has his thumb and two fingers on his left hand so that he can finger his prayer beads and thank his good karma that he was still alive.
Ethiopia, February 2011
In the words of Linda Esposto, Executive Director
Surgicorps trips are all unique, yet they all have one thing in common-witnessing the love of parents for their children in all lands, and their willingness to sacrifice for them.
Ethiopia was no different. Mothers who brought their malnourished children to us at the CURE hospital in Addis Ababa in hope of a palate repair to change their lives. Mothers who were unable to produce enough breast milk to feed their infants and had no funds to purchase goat milk as supplement.
Their tears brought us to tears. In some cases, all we could offer were hugs of support.
It is overwhelming. It is at times so sad. [Read more…] about Ethiopia, February 2011
Guatemala 2010, Katie Babin & Rita DeFrancesco
Rita DeFrancesco and Katie Babin shared the same operating room (general surgery) this August in Guatemala, but how they came to be there – well, those are two different stories.
Rita was making her 13th trip, Katie her 1st.
Rita lives in Pittsburgh, close enough to visit the Surgicorps office and warehouse regularly. Katie lives in Michigan and found Surgicorps on an internet search.
But thrown together, they make an efficient and dedicated team.
Rita has worked with Surgicorps teams in Brazil, Paraguay, Nepal, Vietnam, Africa, Bhutan and Guatemala.
She has been awed by the beauty of the land in Nepal and the tranquility of the people and the country of Bhutan.
She has been impressed by the paradox of the poverty of the people and the richness of the land in Africa.
A veteran of so many trips, she finds it comforting to know, “I can still contribute in a meaningful way and survive the rigors of a Surgicorps trip.”
Indeed, she can.
“Divine intervention.” That’s how Katie describes her opportunity to join a Surgicorps mission. She had signed on, and was trying to figure out how to finance her trip, when she received an unsolicited check in the mail from her brother.
Divine intervention, indeed.
Of her co-workers in the operating room, Katie felt, “People were volunteering their time and efforts, and what made it so special was that we all wanted to be there – in another country for no money.”
“But I received something so much more valuable. I got to work with people who were generous and dedicated to serving others. I got to see people who were genuine when they said, “God will bless you.”
In Katie Babin’s words, “Thank you, Surgicorps International, for allowing me to join your family. I hope I will see you again soon.”
Katie and Rita, we at Surgicorps hope we see both of you again soon.
Guatemala, August 2010
In the words of volunteer Dave Fortun
It begins in chaos and ends in tears of joy for a job well done.
That is how a Surgicorps medical mission goes.
Sunday, screening day in Antigua, Guatemala, August, 2010.
51 Surgicorps volunteers screen, photograph, and register approximately 100 of the 150 surgical candidates for a week of surgeries. Language barriers, children coloring in busy walkways, crying babies and paperwork demands equal controlled mayhem.
But it all works out, and at the end of the day, 25 Guatemalans per day have been slotted for general, gynecological, hand, or plastic surgery.
Monday morning offers more of the same challenges, as the first patients (not necessarily the patients scheduled first!) are anesthetized, the next patients are prepped, and all 51 volunteers settle into their tasks, their routines, their roles.
And so it goes, Tuesday through Friday, and when it is all done, when 100+ patients from near and far have been sent upstairs or home, and the volunteers have packed, thanked and said goodbye to their hosts for the week, it is time to shed tears of joy for another job well done, for another successful mission.
As has been the case with the past 5 trips to Guatemala, the team was hosted by Obras Sociales Del Santo Hermano Pedro. Seven surgeons performed over 100 surgeries and the non-medical volunteers, besides supporting the medical personnel in the hospital, also made daily visits to the hospital orphanage to feed and play with the young children there.
The 100+ surgeries were performed by 7 specialists: Dr. Victor Nieto and Dr. Marguerite Bonaventura (General); Dr. David Kim (Hand); Dr. Joanne Oleck (Gyne); and Drs. Jack Demos, Mel Spira, and Anna Wooten (Plastics).
Surgicorps will return next August 13-20 as it continues its ongoing commitment to the staff and patients of Obras and the citizens of Guatemala. If you would like to join Surgicorps on any of the medical missions, please complete a volunteer application. Please support the Surgicorps mission to provide surgical care to those in need in developing countries by making a donation today on the donation page. Surgicorps needs your support.