Rotoplast Mission to Cebu City in the Philippines
Posted by Lisa Collin
DISTRICT 7930'S ROTOPLAST CEBU CITY MISSION
A special thank you to all the clubs and our District Governor David Manzi for supporting our district's 10th Rotaplast Mission to Cebu City, Philippines from October 4th to the 18th.
Our current mission is in memory of Dr. Vince Rubin, a gifted surgeon, Rotarian past president, member of the North Andover and Chelsea Rotary Clubs, Paul Harris Fellow. Vince was a humanitarian and went on 9 Rotaplast Missions.
Rotaplast International is a nonprofit organization, founded in 1992 which provides free reconstructive surgeries and treatments to underprivileged children with cleft lip and palate deformities and, in some locations, burn treatments and other birth defects that can be corrected with plastic surgery.A Rotaplast team consists of plastic surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, pediatricians as well as nonmedical volunteers. All medical equipment supplies are shipped with the team, along with a handmade quilt for each patient.
Our goal is to perform 150 surgical procedures bringing the total surgeries sponsored by District 7930 to 1000. We have made a real difference in the lives of so many children by restoring their dignity, the ability to breathe, swallow, eat, speak normally and smile usually for the first time in their lives. This will allow them to be educated and be part of their communities without being shunned.
A ROTARY MOMENT FROM LISA COLLIN
It was my first mission in 2007 to Colombia and I was the photo journalist. While I was waiting, I noticed a young girl sitting all alone waiting for her name to be called. Her name was Claudia, I sat with her until her name was called and told her I would be there when she woke up. In recovery her mom came to me and put my hand in Claudia's hand as she wanted me to be the first person that her daughter saw when she woke up. Her mom stood next to me with tears in her eyes , and said "me thank you". The bond Claudia and I shared that day is held in my heart always, but it didn't end there. Two years later I was on my second mission, we were running late to the opening clinic and I was setting up my station and I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around and there was Claudia with a beautiful smile with her mom. I was the one with tears in my eyes, because when translated they wanted me to know that Claudia wanted to be the first person I saw and that I wasn't alone. No words can be said for that moment. Claudia went to school, married and has a healthy daughter of her own today.