Posts from 2021

Day 6 – Going Home

After breakfast, several team members met with Dr. Elizondo to discuss the mission and future opportunities for Rotaplast to work with them.  He expressed thanks to the Rotaplast team for coming and assis... Read More »

Day 5 – Last Day of Surgery

Several more surgeries were performed on this last day. Perhaps one of the most under-rated, yet most valuable aspects of surgery is that of anesthesia.  On television and in the movies, the anesthesiolog... Read More »

Day 4 – Third Day of Surgery

After breakfast the team trekked down the hill to the hospital for another day of surgery.  By now everyone was familiar with the local partners and things were really clicking.  Though the mission was m... Read More »

Day 3 – Second Day of Surgery

The team performed several cleft palate surgeries.  Due to the limited size of the team, as well as that of the local nursing staff, scrub technicians were substituted by mostly local medical students.  ... Read More »

Day 2 – First Day of Surgery

The team enjoyed a good Mexican breakfast before walking to the hospital, which was located a convenient block and a half away from the hotel. Arriving a hospital, the team met other Casa Azul volunteers, ... Read More »

Casa Azul – Day 1

After meeting in Dallas / Fort Worth, the team traveled to Monterrey, arrived in the evening, and were met by Dr. Elizondo and two local medical students.  After securing a rental van for transportation, ... Read More »

First Mission With Casa Azul

After 18 months of Covid restrictions, Rotaplast returns, cautiously, to international service work. On Wednesday, November 3rd, a carefully selected, fully vaccinated team, joined up at the Dallas-Fort Wo... Read More »

Rotaplast Summer 2021 Newsletter

,

  Click on the Newsletter image below to view the Summer 2021 Newsletter Read More »

Rotaplast Update – June 2021

,

See more of this story... Read More »

Loss of a Great One, Joe Grasso

,

It is with a heavy heart we inform you of the passing of Phillip Joseph Grasso on March 28, 2021. Since 2008 Joe has devoted his time, talent and treasure to Rotaplast which became his passion and for him ... Read More »

Passing of Rotarian Bent Harder

,

It is with great sorrow to inform of the passing on February 10, 2021 of Bent Harder. Bent devoted his time and money to six Rotaplast missions in Venezuela, China, El Salvador, Peru and the Philippines. H... Read More »

Winter 2021 Newsletter

,

          NEWSLETTER WINTER 2021         New Members on the Board of Directors     ​Rotaplast International welcomed three new members to the Board of Directors. All are Rotarians and season... Read More »

Reflection – Liberia

,

A beautiful piece of artwork by David Cachay of Rotaplast surgeon Ian Wilson, memorializing the work done on a Rotaplast mission to Liberia in 2012.  Both David and Ian were on that mission.  David’... Read More »

A story by Dr. Paul Helpard: The Miracle Behind the Lip!

,

In May of 2017, I, Dr. Paul Helpard, had the pleasure of meeting a young and vibrant 21-year-old woman named Milagros when I participated as an orthodontist on my third Rotaplast Mission and second in Lima... Read More »

Successful Mission to Agra, India on the Eve of Coronavirus Pandemic

,

Rotaplast’s finale before our current pause due to the Coronavirus Pandemic was a productive mission to Agra, India. The team successfully operated on 82 patients including many with severe contractures ... Read More »

Loss of a Great Surgeon and Supporter

,

We recently lost a great surgeon who contributed his skills and time on Rotaplast missions in India and Venezuela, and was a great humanitarian.  Dr. Holman will be missed. Paul David Holman, M.D., age 77... Read More »

Letter from the Rotaplast Founders

,

A Letter to the Rotaplast Family – When we started planning for a Rotaplast mission nearly thirty years ago, as a World Community Service Project of the Rotary Club of San Francisco, we never thought... Read More »