Day two starts early in the morning with the Rotaplast team waiting for the bus to go to the hospital.
Our day two clinic patients were already waiting outside of the hospital upon our arrival. We are working hard, but are not alone! Our patients, collaborating Colombian medical professionals, government representatives, and local Rotarians from club medellin el poblado are there working with us coming together to provide the rare opportunity of free surgery!
Today started with a team meeting to provide instructions before the first surgeries. Safety is paramount and rules are a large part of that. We also need to better understand the hospital flow so that we are aware of and abide by all rules and regulations.
This is the first round of patients play together while waiting for their surgeries. Very rarely do our patients have the opportunity to meet and befriend other people with cleft lip and palate anomalies. Here the kids play and the parents talk comforting one another before their kids go into surgery.
Ligaya Agustin is the COVID Control Officer on this trip to Medellin. This role is very tough as she is tasked with keeping everyone COVID free. Waging war against a pathogen is difficult, especially considering that she is new to this hospital’s context. Ligaya is doing a great job protecting our volunteers and patients.
Ready for surgery, with a brave smile.
Surgeon David Morewood, Nurse Yipi Yang, and Anesthesiologist Blair Segsworth evaluate a patient during the day two pre clinic.
Celebrating this handsome boys 7th birthday. It’s not everyday that superman gives you a birthday present!
Patients playing Deb Woodford in the clinic, while Randy Floyd looks over the packing list and makes arrangements. So much work goes into making a successful surgical clinic, the tasks are quite diverse but all equally important.
Gallery of Art of the Patients.
The perfect dance to end the day.