Rotaplast Mission Returns with Success

The District 7930 Rotaplast team recently returned from their sponsored Rotaplast medical mission to the Philippines. Club financial support allowed for 122 surgical procedures to be performed on patients in Cebu City, on a south central island in the Philippines. Medical treatments focused on surgically repairing cleft lips, cleft palates and dental work for patients aging three months to 35 years. Medical Director Evelyn Abad explained, "Often children and adults with these deformities are shunned by their community. We give them a second chance to smile."

 

 

 

The medical team consisted of eight non-medical volunteers including David Boudreau and Lisa Collin from the Amesbury Rotary Club, Alan Michel from the Andover Rotary Club, Bob Arsenault from the Ipswich Rotary Club, Bob Wood from the Peabody Rotary Club and Amy Luckiewicz from the Wakefield Rotary Club. Former Rotarian Barbara Hofelich and Amy's mother Susan Luckiewicz also joined the team. They were joined by a team of surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses and Rotarians from California, Washington, Hawaii, and South Dakota.

 

With three operating tables in use, the team was able to complete 122 surgical procedures and over 300 dental procedures. All medical treatment was free of charge to patients and many traveled up to six hours to visit the hospital in the central part of Cebu City. The team was supported locally by Filipino volunteers from the Rotary Club of Cebu City Port Center. The team was also on hand to help the local Rotary Club celebrate it's 1,000th patient over 13 missions.

Clubs who gifted a financial contribution are encouraged to utilize their press release templates sent earlier last week.
For photos and videos of the medical mission, click here.