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Loja, Ecuador-Liliana Vazquez, Interplast Communications Technology Coordinator
After David’s surgery, his father quickly met him outside the operating room. As soon as he saw his son, he broke down into tears. This picture was taken only a day after David’s surgery. Although David will have to return for another procedure to repair his cleft palate, this operation marked the beginning of a new life for both him and his father.
Loja, Ecuador-Liliana Vazquez, Interplast Communications Technology Coordinator
Three-year-old David arrived at the clinic accompanied by his father. Unlike other kids around him, he sat quietly on his father’s lap awaiting his turn. David was born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate. On this trip the Interplast surgeons will be fixing his lip first. The night before David’s operation his father spent the night on a chair by his bedside, both anxious and concerned, but well aware of the impact this operation would have on his son’s life.
Loja, Ecuador—Liliana Vazquez, Interplast Communications Technology Coordinator
Dayanna is an adorable 2-year-old who, unlike most children, did not start crying at the sight of a doctor. Familiar with the usual doctor routine of “Say ahhh,” she instinctively opened her mouth every time she was approached by anyone on the team, including me trying to take this picture. Dayanna and her two older sisters all suffer from polydactyly (each having an extra toe). The extra toe would eventually make it difficult for them to wear shoes. Interplast’s volunteer plastic surgeon, Dr. Bob Ryan, removed the extra toe on all three sisters’ feet.
Susan W. Hayes, Interplast president & CEO
I saw a woman, in her 40s, waiting in the waiting area. She had a surgical mask on her face, so I just assumed she had a cold, was being polite to others by wearing it (as is often the custom here in Asia) and was waiting for her child or grandchild during clinic.
But I was wrong.
With the help of a translator, Tim Smith, Interplast board member, and I went to talk to her. When Tim asked about her mask, she, Shu Zhi, told us that she always wears a mask because people impolitely stare at her whenever she does not. She had a very pronounced cleft lip---and had lived with the stigma and the mask for 42 years.
Tim was very moved by her story and told her that she would never have to wear the mask again after her surgery on Thursday. Tim also shared with Shu Zhi his own personal story about how his own son, now 12, was born with a cleft lip and palate, although his clefts were repaired when he was a baby. He told her he realized how fortunate he was and how it did not seem fair that she had lived with a cleft her whole life. Tim also told Shu Zhi that he was very inspired by her bravery and how glad he was that she will now have a new future, one without the veil of shame she had endured for 42 years. "After Thursday, you will never have to wear that mask again," he said.
Tim and I are very thankful that Interplast can help Shu Zhi have a second chance at life.
Qiqihaer, China--Susan W. Hayes, Interplast president & CEO
Chang Xin, a 7-month-old baby boy, was as cute as a button, even with his bilateral cleft. His mother and father, who is in the military, traveled 48 hours by train to get help for their new son. I am very glad Interplast will be able to repair his lip and have this baby grow up without the stigmas clefts cause.
Qiqihaer, China--Susan W. Hayes, Interplast president & CEO
There were lots of babies and small children at clinic day, the first day at the hospital where our medical volunteers meet and evaluate patients. Most need surgery for cleft palates; there are some who need their cleft lips repaired; and there are others who need revisions. Bhawani Pradhan, speech therapist from Interplast’s Surgical Outreach Center in Nepal, joined our team this year and worked all day to screen many speech pathology candidates. Speech therapy is very important for patients who have had their cleft palates repaired; it helps them learn how to properly form words and be understood after the hole in the roof of their mouths is closed.
Qiqihaer, China--Susan W. Hayes, Interplast president & CEO
When we arrived at the hospital in Qiqihaer, we received the most amazing, warmest reception I've ever seen from a community. They continue to wow us. It is a very professional, well-organized hospital, with an entire cadre of young women from the English school translating for us.
Qiqihaer, China--Susan W. Hayes, Interplast president & CEO
The World Health Organization estimates there are approximately 25,000 babies born every year in China with cleft lips and/or palates, and there is a backlog of hundreds of thousands of Chinese who have never received reconstructive surgery for their clefts. China has an ample supply of skilled doctors and nurses, but the healthcare system does not provide universal access. Moreover, despite recent economic progress, more than 17 percent of the Chinese population still lives on less than a dollar per day, according to UNICEF. The bottom line is that surgery is outside the reach of poor families in China. I am glad Interplast is here to help those in Qiqihaer, so they will have the opportunity to lead productive lives without the stigma of a facial deformity.
Qiqihaer, China--Susan W. Hayes, Interplast president & CEO
After 24 hours of travel, the Interplast volunteer medical team made it to Qiqihaer, China. This is our first trip to Qiqihaer and we are very excited. More than a decade ago, Interplast made its first surgical trip to China, traveling to Shanghai. In 2005, Interplast returned to China at the invitation of the China Population Welfare Foundation (CPWF). Since that time, Interplast surgeons have performed nearly 500 life-changing surgeries in Ganzhou City and Chongqing, while providing hands-on training to local medical professionals. We look forward to helping the children in Qiqihaer on this trip.
Frieda Zandbergen, Interplast volunteer nurse
Dario is a warm, outgoing boy who suffered a terrible burn on his upper body, which was caused by him playing with gasoline. He won most of our hearts but especially that of Adam (our trip photographer). Adam took time to teach Dario some photography while he waited his turn on clinic day. Dario followed Adam around and got to use his camera. It was inspiring to watch Adam cheer up this child and introduce him to the world of photography.
Today, Dr. Robert Ryan performed a burn contracture release on Dario´s face, which will allow him to open his mouth fully. After his surgery we hope Dario can one day become the photographer he now tells us he wants to be.
