Tired, Uncertain

It was a long and unforgettable day. No one wanted this medical mission to be over.  There are too many kids counting on this team for help. Many waited all day with their families outside in the heat after the earthquake halted surgery and left upcoming operations in doubt. These parents weren't about to give up and neither was the Rotaplast team.

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A New Day

The team re-grouped the morning after the earthquake, unsure if and when surgery would resume. Back at the hospital, the make-shift, outdoor ward was once again an empty lot. Inside, some of the rooms Rotaplast had been using were still closed due to damage. Local Rotarian and past District Governor, Anton Florendo, spent the morning negotiating with the hospital for space.  

Thankfully, Anton arranged with hospital administrators to get back into the OR the next day and for a new set-up for the waiting and recovery areas. The team spent the afternoon moving beds and equipment and contacting families to ensure a full surgical schedule could resume the following day. The team also had a visit, and a big "thank you" from former Cebu Province Governor, Gwendolyn Garcia. By the end of the day, Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center was back in business, with Rotaplast surgery to resume the following day.

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