So No Child Must Wait

Are We Done Yet?

Are We Done Yet?
Originally uploaded by interplast

Dr. Joyce Chen, Interplast Webster Fellow.

In pigtails and donning one of her favorite hats, Mirabella concentrated on holding her hands still while hand surgeon Dr. David Kim took pre-operative photos during clinic. She was an especially sweet, patient girl and we all enjoyed taking care of her.

The Condoris

The Condoris
Originally uploaded by interplast

Dr. Joyce Chen, Interplast Webster Fellow.

Among the 140 patients evaluated in clinic, siblings Brittany and Joshua came with their parents to be evaluated by our team. They shared the congenital deformity syndactyly, a condition where developing fingers do not separate normally and thus affected babies are born with conjoined fingers. Fortunately, both of them were selected as appropriate surgical candidates and were scheduled for surgery on the same day. After separation of their fingers, Brittany and Joshua will be able to use their hands more normally.

Dr. Jorge Terrazas

Dr. Jorge Terrazas
Originally uploaded by interplast

Dr. Joyce Chen, Interplast Webster Fellow.

At the Miraflores Central Military Hospital in La Paz, Bolivia, our host surgeon Dr. Jorge Terrazas enthusiastically pointed to one of the many brightly colored posters he posted over the past month, advertising the free reconstructive hand surgery that our Interplast team will provide to both pediatric and adult patients. In preparation for this trip, Dr. Terrazas, who is an orthopedic trained hand surgeon, tirelessly screened over 700 patients prior to our arrival and selected more than 100 patients to be seen by our team. Interplast has successfully partnered with Dr. Terrazas for the past eight years in La Paz; together we have operated and taken care of hundreds of patients.

Clinic Day

Clinic Day
Originally uploaded by interplast

Michael Galvez, Interplast volunteer coordinator/ translator.

Today we set up shop at el Hospital Militar Central. Our host, Dr. Jorge Terrazas, is great. He not only prescreened 700 patients prior to our arrival, but he also facilitated setting up our operating site and getting local nurses, residents, and other hospital workers to help out. The clinic itself was captivating; there were so many people in need of correction of hand problems including congenital defects, burns, work-related injuries and accidents. Dr. Kyle Bickel, Dr. David Kim, and Dr. Joyce Chen along with Dr. Jorge Terrazas helped evaluate all patients to determine if an operation could improve function and form of their hands. Witnessing their collaboration with decision making was phenomenal. Everyone on the team was working hard. The pediatricians and anesthesiologists were thoroughly evaluating patients and the team nurses were setting up the quirófanos (ORs) and seeing patients as well. Given that we were starting up quirófanos from scratch, the anesthesiologists worked closely with the local physicians and nurses to ensure that we had everything we needed. Amazing day really, many patients in true need of help and great people working together to make it happen.

Arriving in La Paz

Arriving in La Paz
Originally uploaded by interplast

Michael Galvez, Interplast volunteer coordinator/ translator.

We arrived a day before beginning clinic day in La Paz, Bolivia. This place is breathtaking (literally at times); it has blue skies over a huge valley with amazing Mt. Illimani in the background. Everyone on the team feels well today. Besides the slight time change, most team members are worried about "soroche" or altitude sickness, considering last year’s team was significantly affected by it. Most of us are on Diamox (altitude medication) and some have tried “mate de coca” or coca tea, a local alternative. We walked around today to acclimate and went to see our operating site to evaluate and deliver our crates of equipment. Tomorrow is clinic day, where we evaluate potential patients and determine if we can help them during our trip and/or offer physical therapy.

Stories from La Paz

Though our team trip season is over, we still have stories from last month's team trip to La Paz, Bolivia to share. What follows are a collection of email/blog posts written by our volunteer coordinator/translator Michael Galvez and Interplast's webster fellow, Dr. Joyce Chen.

Wente Vineyards Returns as Exclusive Gala Wine Sponsor

Interplast is excited to announce that Wente Vineyards is returning as our exclusive wine sponsor for the 2010 Transformations Gala! 

Last year, nearly 500 guests enjoyed Wente’s exquisite wines.  We are thankful to have Wente’s support again. 

Join us at this year’s gala and savor delicious Wente wines!

Acclarent Employees Volunteer at Interplast

Last week, 15 employees of Acclarent volunteered at Interplast headquarters. Acclarent is a business unit of Ethicon—and Ethicon is one of our major in-kind donors.

The employees prepared approximately 700 oral health speech therapy kits for our Nepal speech therapy program.  (Speech therapy is often needed after surgery for repairing a cleft palate.) These kits include small items like tongue depressors and dental mirrors for the therapist to evaluate and work with patients to improve their speech, as well as toothbrushes and toothpaste for dental hygiene. 

“Having the Acclarent volunteers in the office was fantastic,” said Teresa Olson, Interplast development coordinator.  “Seeing Ethicon again lend it's strong support to our program—and the employees of Acclarent give up their time to help supply our Nepal speech therapy camps—was such an inspiration.  I can't imagine how we could have made all of those kits without them…plus, they were a total blast!”

Interplast is grateful to the Acclarent volunteers and for Ethicon’s long-term and continuing support.

Spotlight Friday: Caring Medical Volunteers

Spotlight Friday: Interplast's trip season has ended. We could not help thousands of children each year without the devotion of our medical volunteers. This photo, from Peru, shows the loving care they give our patients. Thank you volunteers! Photo by Adam Forgash. 

Mali Partner Getting Married: Mali Team Gives Wedding GIft

Dr. Oumar Coulibably, Interplast’s partner-in-training from Mali, is getting married.  About 20 Interplast volunteers, who have been part of surgical teams to Bamako in the last few years, wanted to express their friendship and best wishes for his wedding.   

Spearheaded by volunteer coordinator/translator Jacques De Deken, they recently sent him a gift of cash to help alleviate some of his wedding expenses and the relocation of his future wife, as Oumar is studying in Cote d'Ivoire.  

“When we heard Oumar was getting married, we really wanted to do something nice for him,” said Beverly Kent, Interplast’s director of volunteer services. “Oumar has been working with the Interplast teams since we started going to Bamako in 2006.” 

“Because of his interest, dedication to the poor, and his skills, Interplast decided to support Oumar in his training to become first a pediatric surgeon and then hopefully the first plastic surgeon in all of Mali,” continued Kent.  “Unfortunately, there is no pediatric surgery training program in Mali, so Oumar is living in Cote d'Ivoire far from his bride and is anxious to get married so he can bring his wife to live with him.”  

“All of us who have developed a relationship with Oumar are so happy to give him this wedding gift,” concluded Kent.  The rest of us at Interplast also send Oumar and his bride-to-be great thanks for their devotion to helping the poor in Mali and wish them a wonderful life together.