This morning started with our surgeons checking on the patients for today’s procedures and the pediatricians discharging those patients ready to go home – including Mafiz and Hatiz.

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Hatiz being held by his very proud and happy mother.

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Mafiz shines with his new smile!

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Ridwan, 7 years old was the first to register at clinic and was so happy he received the #001 on his chart. He went through surgery yesterday and is recovering well in post-op today. Ridwan communicates extremely well with hand gestures and facial expressions. Due to his cleft palate, Ridwan doesn’t speak. It has also been difficult for him to eat. His parents mother Maya and father Abdunrazak traveled with Ridwen for 5 hours in a motor ricksaw to Sylhet. They live in the village of 18 families called Rajaguaon. Abdunrazak works as a fisherman when there is work. Unfortunately, he hasn’t had steady work in a very long time. The family is homeless in their village surviving on the kindness of their neighbors.

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Six years ago, Ridwan received surgery to fix his cleft lip from the generosity of local doctors.  When Ridwan’s parents learned from a local newspaper that Rotaplast was coming, they didn’t hesitate to make the long journey to Sylhet. Maya says, “I’m very poor. I don’t have a place to sleep. Now, Ridwan received the surgery. Things will change.  Things will get better.” Ridwan and his parents will stay with us at the hospital for a few more days due to the complicated nature of his procedure.

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Srehosri, 4 and Sumit Das, 9 are sister and brother. Both were born with a cleft lip and cleft palate. Sumit Das was 2 ½ when he received his first surgery in Dhaka to fix his lip. Children born with a cleft condition often require two or more surgeries. Today, Sumit Das receives a life changing surgery that, with speech therapy will give him a chance to speak. Srehosri is an out-going, animated child. Today she undergoes her first surgery. She has a bilateral cleft lip and a protruding premaxilla and a cleft palate.

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Srehosri is more than willing to let us take a look. Mother Shivanti Das and father Molay Das both express their gratitude. “We’re overwhelmed and happy with the treatment we are receiving.”

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After Srehosri’s surgery, her mother gives her juice in recovery.