Pakhi is a delightful 6 year old with a severe wide cleft lip. He is one of 7 children and his father is a rickshaw driver. Pakhi’s family lives in the village nearby the Southern Medical College & Hospital of Chittagong where we are operating so they saw the sign advertising the Rotaplast clinic and were able to walk to the hospital.
Anesthesiologist, Sofia Yi, takes a selfie with Pakhi, to make him feel more comfortable before going into surgery.
Dr. Gemberling and his local scrub nurse.
What a dramatic change in Pakhi’s appearance! Children with cleft lips are not easily accepted by others in the school yard; since his surgery he looks forward to going to school. His surgery was performed by Dr. Ron Gemberling.
Thank you Wrap-A-Smile for the handmade quilts!
Dr. Michael Johnstone, pictured above in the blue cap, is our lead anesthesiologist and has been on over 30 Rotaplast missions. He lives in Kauai, has chickens, a garden, and many stray pets. Michael is a gentle loving, quiet soul that clearly cares for the local patient population. He brings a relaxed and calming vibe to the team; he has the respect of all his colleagues.
Karen Davis, Nurse Practitioner, conducts a pre-operative exam on a patient.
OR Nurses Sandy Swiatek and Susan Dean reviewing the next patients chart prior to surgery.
Closing with pictures of the local area…
