Posts from 2019
Appreciation
Apartado, Colombia
Daniel and his mother want a photo with Dr. Jim Leake to show their appreciation. Morning rounds are more than medical checks. Patients and their families have had a chance to absorb the significance that ... Read More »
Anatomy of the Apartadó Mission
Apartado, Colombia
Every morning at 7:00 am the team boards the bus for a short drive to the Clinica Panamerica. Off the bus and into the hospital for another busy day. Dr. Anne DeLaney, Medical Director discusses the day wi... Read More »
Dulce Gets Her Birthday Present
Apartado, Colombia
Sandra holds her daughter, Dulce, and both are thrilled with the results, thanks to the expertise of the Rotaplast team and all who have supported this mission. Read More »
Training Local Dentists
Apartado, Colombia
Children born with a cleft lip or cleft palate often require years of orthodonture for improved speech, nutrition, dental hygiene and appearance. It can also be necessary as a precursor for future surgerie... Read More »
Another Birthday Present on Saturday
Apartado, Colombia
Nuvia, accompanied by her daughter Ana, arrived for surgery on Saturday. It was also her 53rd birthday, making it even more special for her. At age 15 a petroleum lamp accidentally set her clothes on fire.... Read More »
A Birthday Present for Dulce
Apartado, Colombia
Dulce was born with a cleft lip one year ago today at Clinica Panamerica. Rotaplast was there too, on their first mission in Apartadó. Dr. Anne DeLaney was the Rotaplast mission medical director and met t... Read More »
Hector: From Patient to Volunteer Extraordinaire
Apartado, Colombia
Anne DeLaney, Mission Medical Director with Hector Villegas, Orthodontist Born in Medellín with a cleft lip and palate, Hector was fortunate to receive early intervention to repair the clefts. But a child... Read More »
Meet the team
Apartado, Colombia
We are midway through the mission and everyone is working expertly toward our common goal of changing the lives of our patients. And judging by the high-fives, fist bumps, photos and smiles between the pat... Read More »
“Please help my brother.”
Apartado, Colombia
Esneida, 15 years old, was born with a cleft lip. Her 13 year old brother was born with both a cleft lip and palate. They are from the indigenous Embera tribe. As infants, they went to Medellín for treatm... Read More »
Our first new smile
Apartado, Colombia
Manuel is an energetic 7 month old boy. He has a 2 year old sister that does not have a cleft. His parents heard about Rotaplast from Alexandra, a speech therapist with the non-profit Fundauniban. M... Read More »
Emmanuel gets an obturator
Apartado, Colombia
Emmanuel is an adorable seven month old boy, born with a bilateral cleft lip and cleft palate. At his age, he would be a good candidate for repair of his lip. Unfortunately, he arrived with a respiratory i... Read More »
Opening day clinic
Apartado, Colombia
The mission begins with a clinic to meet all prospective patients. Word went out across the region that Rotaplast is coming. Families were scheduled to arrive throughout the day to reduce waiting time. The... Read More »
The mission begins…
Apartado, Colombia
Rotaplast team members meet Saturday evening at San Francisco International Airport to begin the journey to Apartadó, Colombia. Twenty-nine medical and non-medical volunteers will arrive with 22 boxes of ... Read More »
Sometimes a song
New Delhi, India
A porcupine ball (not as prickly as it sounds) has colored lights inside that flash when you hit it. Thank you, patient transporter Suzy Dix, for bringing a few of these along. Naturally, an infant can’t... Read More »
Young Prince
New Delhi, India
Prince was born two years ago with an anatomical anomaly including the lack of an eye socket and bone structure on the left side of his face, a cataract in his right eye and a cleft lip. Despite being blin... Read More »
Rachel’s revelations
New Delhi, India
From Rachel: When I learned I would be traveling to Faridabad, India with Rotaplast I was ecstatic, but being a first-time team member I had no idea what was in-store. I knew I would complete this mission ... Read More »
Divyanshi
New Delhi, India
Dharmedra and Soni said they were very happy that they saw the newspaper advertisement for the Rotaplast mission. Divyanshi is their first child, born with a cleft lip and palate. At five months, he was re... Read More »
Let us gather
New Delhi, India
Phyllis Meshulam is a poet teacher with California Poets in the Schools, and came on the mission as the recreation therapist, charged with keeping the children entertained while awaiting their surgery. On ... Read More »
Kanika
New Delhi, India
Kanika is an energetic two-year old. Her mom heard about Rotaplast from a neighbor and made the 40 mile trip to Faridabad. Children heal very quickly and by the morning after surgery, Kanika was out in the... Read More »
A great day of surgeries
New Delhi, India
Arsh just beams with joy in the arms of his proud father. Alim is a food vendor in Delhi and heard about Rotaplast from a relative who saw a newspaper advertisement. Arsh’s two older sisters will be ex... Read More »
Latest From Around The World
Surgical days 3-10
Nagamangala, India
Over the course of seven days, approximately 48 patients, ranging in age from just three months to 78 years old, are scheduled for various procedures, including cleft lip and palate repairs, as well as bur... Read More »
Day 2: Pre-surgical clini...
Nagamangala, India
The mission starts with a full-day of patient evaluations in a pre-surgical clinic. The surgeons, pediatricians and nurses evaluate each patient to determine whether the patient will be a good candidate fo... Read More »