Cebu City, Philippines

Sep 13, 2017

Naypyitaw, Myanmar 2017 – Day 1

Naypyitaw, Myanmar

Prior to a Rotaplast mission the most common question I am asked in a conversation with a friend frequently starts with the lead question, “So, where are you going next?” When I say “Myanmar” the r... Read More »

Sep 16, 2017

Naypyitaw, Myanmar 2017 – Day 2- We meet the children

Naypyitaw, Myanmar

We have arrived! Our Hospital here in Naypitaw is very large with more than 1,000 beds. Located in an isolated compound, nestled on lush tree lined streets. The surgical center where we will do our magic... Read More »

Sep 17, 2017

Naypyitaw, Myanmar 2017 – Day-3 The magic begins

Naypyitaw, Myanmar

A Rotaplast team is always a newsworthy event. Medical director and co-founder of Rotaplast Dr. Angelo Capozzi is interviewed by the local news station. It takes a lot of team work to accomplish a successf... Read More »

Sep 19, 2017

Naypyitaw, Myanmar 2017 – Day-4 Meet the team

Naypyitaw, Myanmar

At the heart of any Rotaplast mission is the surgical suite with our three operating rooms. This is where the magic happens. Dr. Capozzi maintains total focus on the task at hand. Dr. Schepel flew in from... Read More »

Sep 20, 2017

Naypyitaw, Myanmar 2017 – Day-5 Family Time on the Ward

Naypyitaw, Myanmar

The ward is where children and their families wait before and after surgery. Both Mom and Dad are here for their children. The hospital campus is large and Dad is with his son on the long walk to the OR... Read More »

Sep 20, 2017

Naypyitaw, Myanmar 2017 – Day – 6 Very Cheeky

Naypyitaw, Myanmar

The first thing a visitor to Myanmar notices is the yellow-white cosmetic treatment on the cheeks of both boys and girls. Called thanaka it is made by grinding the bark of a thanaka tree on a flat stone wi... Read More »

Sep 21, 2017

Naypyitaw, Myanmar 2017 – Day 7 – It is not a skirt!

Naypyitaw, Myanmar

It is called a longyi. Longyis are worn by both men and women, but they are worn differently and the patterns and colors are simpler for the men. Young boys and girls do not wear longyis.   The child... Read More »

Sep 21, 2017

Naypyitaw, Myanmar 2017 – Day 8 – On the way to work today…

Naypyitaw, Myanmar

Our daily commute is about twenty minutes each way, and there generally is not a lot of traffic. Normally very uneventful, until today when a herd of water buffalo decided they wanted to cross the road, ... Read More »

Sep 22, 2017

Naypyitaw, Myanmar 2017 – Day 9 – Final day of surgery

Naypyitaw, Myanmar

Victoria carries another lad into surgery. Dr. Schepel and all of the OR teams have been on their feet for seven days. Today we fished our 63rd. and final patient of the mission. waiting his turn. That loo... Read More »

Sep 23, 2017

Naypyitaw, Myanmar 2017 – Day 10 – Final Clinic

Naypyitaw, Myanmar

It was a productive mission topped off with a final clinic with most of the patients, and their families in attendance. Full house Final clinic is an emotional time for our team and the patients and their ... Read More »

Oct 15, 2017

After screening almost 150 patients-Surgeries Begin

Cebu City, Philippines

Dr. Brad Coots, from Sioux Falls, SD, performs the first surgery-a cleft lip repair. Dr. Coots takes time from his surgical practice and his wife and two children to volunteer for one mission each year (a... Read More »

View All
Latest From Around The World
Oct 23, 2024

Stories from the Ward

Faridabad, India

A teenage girl with burn contractures on her wrist, elbow, and knee from an untreated accident as a baby arrived at the clinic with her sister, both burdened by exhaustion and hesitant to trust. They were ... Read More »

Oct 23, 2024

Dental Care & Cleft ...

Faridabad, India

Cleft lip and palate deformities can result from genetic disorders or syndromes. As technology and databases improve, our understanding of genetic markers and risk factors for these conditions continues to... Read More »