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A First for Surgicorps and a New Future for Ms. Huang Toe Toe
Mandalay, Myanmar
Story by Surgicorps volunteer Mario Guiterrez

It all started with a casual conversation over dinner during last year’s surgical mission to Paro, Bhutan between Surgicorps founder Dr. Jack Demos and one of the team’s surgeons, Debra Johnson. Dr. Johnson had, for more than twelve years, led volunteer surgical missions to Myanmar (formerly Burma). However, these missions sadly came to an end in 2002 due to lack of organizational funding support and increased political tensions between the US and Myanmar. All it took was for Dr. Jack to ask, “Any chance you think we can initiate a Surgicorps mission there?” for Debra to send off a flurry of emails to her contacts in Mandalay, Myanmar to explore the possibilities.

As a young resident Dr. Nu Nu Yee, had been mentored by Dr. Johnson during her many visits to Yangon (the Capital) General Hospital. Now Dr. Yee was the Chief of Plastic Surgery at Mandalay General Hospital. Upon hearing of Surgicorps and Dr. Johnson’s desire to work at her hospital, Dr. Yee and our Executive Director Linda Esposto worked diligently together to obtain all the necessary approvals from the Ministry of Health and secure the visas for the team. Finally, with all in place, the inaugural Surgicorps volunteer mission was set for February, 2013.

Myanmar is a fairly large, and relatively poor country that until recently had been isolated from the rest of the world. It has a population of 65 million — but with only five surgeons trained in plastic reconstructive surgery. Consequently, the number of children born with congenital defects such as cleft lip and palate, have greatly outstripped the capacity of Dr. Nu Nu Yee and her colleagues in Yangon to meet the overwhelming demand for care. The Surgicorps Mandalay team, was led by Dr. Jack Demos, and included two other surgeons Dr. Johnson and Dr. David Kim from Boston. On the first day clinic the team screened over 100 children and young adults who were in need of surgery And, while they included the usual array of cleft lip, palates, and burn contractures, there was one young lady that stood out from the rest.

[Read more…] about Myanmar-2013

Surgicorps’ Zambia team of 20 volunteers has returned after another successful mission. This year’s team performed surgery on 60 patients and screened well over 100 patients, the majority of these patients presenting with burns and hand deformities. Many of these patients traveled for hours for the opportunity to be seen by the Surgicorps team. It was a very full week in Zambia with the medical teams completing 40% more surgeries than the previous year.

Screening Day was hectic. It was a hint of things to come and made extra special by a visit from a teenage girl who had surgery on her webbed toes last year. She stopped by to show us her healed foot, complete with nail polish and wearing flip flops, a simple indulgence not possible before her Surgicorps operation. She was so pleased with the results that she wanted to thank the surgeons.

Many of the patients needed surgery for burns and hand deformities. Following surgery our hand therapist provided much needed splinting and was able to create many types of splints, custom fitted for each patient. A follow up visit in the ward the next day helped to ensure a proper fit and parents were given written instructions—at times on the splint itself!!– on how to wear the splint. Thanks to the skill and creative use of materials, these patients have a much better chance of healing successfully. Before leaving Zambia the excess materials were donated for the use by the therapist at CURE hospital.
[Read more…] about Zambia-2012

How are we to know how much we can offer a team, a mission, a country? I didn’t really know what I had to offer when I volunteered for the Surgicorps mission to Guatemala in August of 2012. What I did know was that I very much wanted to be part of an organization of the caliber of Surgicorps, that has so much to do with teamwork. As an RN working in the PACU at St. Vincent Hospital, I had heard about the previous year’s trip from Dr. David Kim, Stephanie Charron and Heather Archambeault. Their firsthand accounts were much of the impetus I needed to apply.

The Boston contingent, including Dr. McNicholas and her son Darragh, met up with the Pittsburgh team in Houston. For me, as a first timer, it was all about keeping the names straight! Everyone right away was so welcoming and genuinely glad to see us. It was especially great to meet Linda who knew right away what everyone was supposed to be doing, where they were going and who they were going with!

Sunday was a very busy day. I was told screening day can be very busy, seemingly chaotic, but usually goes very smoothly. I was so impressed by the helpfulness of every member of the team, from taking photos of patients, to escorting them to various departments, assisting with histories, and thank goodness for interpreters! On a personal note, it was incredibly humbling to meet with the Padre that morning and have a tour of the hospital. The insight it brought me was invaluable. I was impressed right away with the staff of the hospital; their daily care and compassion of the patients they serve is clearly evident.

[Read more…] about Guatemala 2012 — In the words of Sara Schiavi RN

4th Annual Memorial Golf Tournament to benefit Surgicorps International
September 10, 2012
Loch Nairn Golf Club
Avondale, PA

On Monday, September 10, 2012 the Loch Nairn Golf Club will be the site of the 4th Annual Memorial Golf Tournament to benefit Surgicorps International in loving memory of Hank Smedley and Jackie Baird.

Join us for a great day of golf and support Surgicorps. This 18 hole tournament includes: Captains Choice, prizes, green & cart fees, refreshments on the course, individual and team contests, a cocktail hour and a buffet dinner complete with awards for the day’s winners! See highlights from last year’s event: Facebook.

Registration: 12:00 PM
Shot Gun Start: 1:00 PM
Cocktails & dinner: 6:30 PM
$145.00 per person – includes cocktails & dinner
$65.00 – cocktails & dinner only

Golf and/or be a sponsor! Sponsorships begin at $125 and include tee signage on the course and in the Clubhouse that will be on display for one week. For more information call 610-268-0824 or 610-268-2235. Deadline for sponsorship is August 20.

One of the many exclusive opportunities of the Golf Tournament is the chance to win a week-long vacation at a villa in Jamaica. The 4 bedroom villa is staffed with a housekeeper and cook. Winner is responsible for airfare and cost of food. Suggested donation: $35 per ticket, available in advance at the Surgicorps office 412-767-4185 or on the day of the event.

Finally — the day ends with a cocktail hour and buffet dinner and program. Cocktails and Dinner only tickets are also available.

Please consider joining us at Loch Nairn for golf and/or supporting this wonderful event as a sponsor.

By Mario Gutierrez — Surgicorps Volunteer

One of the unique and wonderful aspects of Surgicorps is our desire to include a variety of individuals on the surgical missions to experience firsthand what we do, and interact with the people and culture of the places where we go. This past April, the team in Bhutan was composed of 28 individuals, the largest team to date. In addition to our core group of surgeons, anesthesiologists and nurses, our team included a budding young third year plastic surgery resident, a medical student from the United States and one from New Zealand, and a volunteer preparing to enter medical school. Also for the first time our Bhutan team included dentists. Dr. William Manteris, the leader of the dental team, who on his own, has traveled internationally providing volunteer dental care to those in need, joined a Surgicorps team for the first time. Willie brought a team of two young dentists who conducted educational and restorative care for more than 1,000 children and adults in several isolated rural villages during our week in Bhutan.

[Read more…] about New Faces and Friends — Bhutan 2012

Surgicorps received a Certificate of Appreciation from Her Majesty’s Tarayana Foundation at a ceremony during the Inaugural Session for the Tarayana Annual Fair in Thimphu, Bhutan on Friday, May 4th. Surgicorps is the first international organization to receive this honor recognizing our work on behalf of the Bhutanese people over the past six years. Founder Jack Demos and his father and fellow board member, Tony Demos, returned to Bhutan earlier this week to accept the award in person.

Stories and images from the recently completed Surgical Camp in Paro will be posted soon. The 28 member team completed 59 surgeries, 125 knee injections and the first-time dental camp reached more than 1,000 Bhutanese children in a one-week period. This was Surgicorps’ 6th trip to the Kingdom of Bhutan.