So No Child Must Wait

Story Hour with Dr. Donald Laub

This afternoon, Interplast staff members welcomed Dr. Donald Laub, founder of Interplast, and Dr. Edgar Rodas, former Ecuadorian Minister of Health and founder of The Cinterandes Foundation, to their office in Mountain View, California. Over a casual lunch, the two doctors spoke of their histories with Interplast, what inspired them to pursue careers prioritizing equal access to health care over personal gain, and the human and psychic impacts that keep their work exciting. Staff members enjoyed insights and tales of adventures from the early days, and appreciated the obvious camaraderie shared by these long-time friends and colleagues.

Later tonight, Dr. Laub and Dr. Rodas will also share their experiences with a group of young Stanford students, hoping to inspire a new generation to achieve the lofty goal they themselves have pursued for so long —that of providing safe, sustainable access of health care for all.

Interplast’s South Asia Regional Plastic Surgeon Conference

Interplast’s South Asia Regional Conference of Plastic Surgeons is taking place from May 25-30 in Kathmandu, Nepal. With delegates attending from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom, the conference is the first of its kind in the region. The conference was inaugurated by Nepal’s Honorable State Minister of Health and Population and was graced by the Australian Ambassador, Nepal Medical Association President and Health Secretary, among other distinguished guests. "It is a very invaluable opportunity for us to learn from each other," said Dr. Kiran Nakarmi, Nepal's Interplast surgical outreach director.

Teaching in Ghana

Accra, Ghana--Dr. Tom Moore, Interplast visiting educator

Everything is going great in Ghana.  Yesterday we held clinic day and saw lots of new and former patients. We scheduled cases which include children with congenital ear deformities, burned ears, and human ear bites. We saw about 20 cases which are enough to insure a very busy week.

In attendance is every plastic surgeon and resident in the entire country of Ghana as well as a surgeon from Nigeria.  This is a total of 10 surgeons all eager to learn ear reconstruction. We began today with two patients with bilateral microtia (congenital missing ear) so we operated on four ears total.  Since this is my fourth trip here and the emphasis is on teaching, the local surgeons are performing the surgery, and I serve as advisor and assistant.  They did a good job, and the cases went well. The only snafu was that the anesthesiologist showed up two hours late so we didn't finish until after 6PM.

This is my last scheduled trip here but we have seen such a variety of cases that by the end of the week these surgeons should be able to proceed on their own. I have a small but comfortable hotel room and the food is good. I have a lecture to give in the morning and then a full day of surgery.  I am enjoying my stay here.

Interplast’s Amy Laden receives the YWCA’s TWIN Award

       

Amy Laden, Interplast’s director of international services, has worked to provide surgery for children and adults with clefts, disabling burns and hand injuries for 31 years. 

Today, her dedication to assisting thousands of children is being celebrated and honored as she receives YWCA’s TWIN Award.

The TWIN Award honors successful female executives and the companies that employ them for their outstanding achievements.

In 1976, Amy began as a social worker, providing care for patients and their families who were brought to the United States to receive surgery.  Now, after decades of organizing volunteer surgical team trips, her relationships with local medical partners has been critical in establishing high-quality, year-round surgical programs in some of the most underserved regions of the world. 

On behalf of the Interplast staff and all of our patients whose lives Amy has helped touch, we want to congratulate Amy on this well deserved award and thank her for her 31 years of service.

Dr. Chandini Perera on National Public Radio

  Dr. Chandini Perera on National Public Radio 
  Photo by: Phil Borges

Dr. Chandini Perera, one of only six plastic surgeons in Sri Lanka and Interplast's surgical outreach director, was interviewed by National Public Radio’s Michel Martin, host of “Tell Me More”. During this interview, Dr. Perera discusses the impact of disabling burns and how she heals and empowers women burn survivors.

Click here to listen to the interview and view photos of some of Dr. Perera’s patients.

Working Together

  Working Together 
  Originally uploaded by interplast

Dhaka, Bangladesh-- Dr. Steve Garner, Interplast visiting educator.

We just finished a long operating and clinic day.  After finishing two wound debridement/skin graft cases, we tackled one of the primary cases Dr. Shafquat Khundkar asked me to help with as a Visiting Educator. The patient had a large wound from a pressure sore/post radiation injury.   I offered Dr. Shafquat my input and together we did a split gluteus muscle flap on the patient. I've never seen quite so many people gathered around an operating room table observing! It was a great day. At the end of the day, after long hot hours I remembered how good a cold glass of Coke can taste.

Big Need, Small World

Dhaka, Bangladesh-- Dr. Steve Garner, Interplast visiting educator.

Last night I had dinner with a young Bengali plastic surgeon named Tarek who trained with Interplast’s Surgical Outreach Director, Dr. Shafquat  Khundkar.  We had a lengthy and lively conversation about burn care in Bangladesh.  He works at a 50-bed burn unit which sees 250 patients a day.  Many of his patients are forced to lay in the hallways due to lack of space. 

Yesterday at the clinic, we saw a young child with leg burns caused by accidentally walking on burning embers. In discussing her case, I emphasized the importance of grafting her leg carefully while monitoring blood loss. Dr. Tarek shared with me that they had a patient pass away due to not only 20% burns on his body but also excessive grafting. If my whole trip does nothing more than prevent such incidents from happening again, I will be soul satisfied.

Other than my attempts at humor during lectures going over like lead balloons, all is well.  I am confident that it is the language barrier and has nothing to do with my delivery. My favorite funny yesterday was the young Bengali strolling past me with a t-shirt saying "Save Ferris".  World sure is small.

Able to Help

  Able to Help 
  Originally uploaded by interplast

Dhaka, Bangladesh-- Dr. Steve Garner, Interplast visiting educator.

Another great day in Bangladesh!  Again, I gave two lectures and spoke on Dressings/ Drains and Angiosomes/ Foot Flaps. We saw several patients and prepared a tentative surgery schedule for tomorrow.  So far all our exchanges have been lively, interesting and, most importantly, well received. The lectures will hopefully help my colleagues provide improved care to their patients. There are so many chronic burn and injury wounds, they are heartbreaking.  I feel very fortunate to be able to help.

Arriving in Bangladesh

  Arriving in Bangladesh 
  Originally uploaded by interplast

Dhaka, Bangladesh-- Dr. Steve Garner, Interplast visiting educator.

Hello, my name is Steve Garner, M.D., and I’m a volunteer plastic surgeon participating in Interplast’s Visiting Educator program. My first day here in Dhaka was excellent. I gave two lectures to a group of 25 physicians and residents from hospitals all over the city. The weather is warm but not beastly.  All of the Bengali people have been quite gracious and friendly. I look forward to another productive day tomorrow.

Our Time In Nicaragua

  Our Time In Nicaragua 
  Originally uploaded by interplast

Managua, Nicaragua —Liliana Vazquez, Interplast Communications Technology Coordinator.

Our visit to Nicaragua was a memorable one. The hospitality we experienced only comes second to the valuable lessons we learned during our time at the hospital. Each child we met and story we heard helped reinforce in our hearts and minds the importance that these life-changing surgeries have. As we return home, Dr. Chandini and Asha Karunathilake to Sri Lanka and I to the United States, we return with newfound inspiration and knowledge that will be applied in our daily work.  This was my first trip with Interplast, and being able to write these blogs myself has proven to be a unique experience. As the Communications and Technology Coordinator at Interplast, I constantly receive blog entries from our volunteers abroad. However, having the opportunity to witness firsthand the work being done by our international partners and to meet the patients we serve has given me a new appreciation for the powerful human impact of all that we do.