The team was taken to the hospital in a school
van donated by Rotary Clubs from Districts 4280 and 7450. As this was the first day of surgery, Drs. Kowalczyk and Delaney briefed the entire team on emergency procedures.
Family members, local Rotarians, and Rotaplast volunteers entertained the patients in the waiting room. When ready Rotaplast Patient Transporter, Andy Johanson, took the patients to the Operating Room. Andy is a long time Rotaplast volunteer who has been on prior missions to Pereira. There will be more on the reunions with patients he knows from prior missions later.
Quartermaster Sam Flaherty dispensed hand made quilts that the patients take home when discharged. These quilts were donated by Rotarians.
Following surgery Dr. Mark Singleton carried several of the patients to the recovery room himself. When the patients woke up, they were joined by happy family members.
Patients and family members expressed their joy and appreciation to Rotaplast volunteers, Dr. Goldberg, Dr. Singleton and Lead Recovery Room Nurse, Luisa Poquiz, among others.
As indicated in the first post, this mission includes a genetic research and education program aimed at understanding the causes and developing a prevention protocol for cleft lip and palate anomalies. Here Dr. Tolar directs the preparation of blood samples for transport, storage and gene sequencing.
