FogHorn July 23 Meeting

Alliance for Smiles is a small nonprofit based in San Francisco. It is a spinoff from the Rotaplast Organization which has been in existence for several decades. Both organizations focus on addressing cleft palate issues in foreign countries. Rotaplast Partners with Rotary clubs in the host country to do the surgeries. Alliance for Smiles focuses primarily on China where there are no host Rotary clubs. As a consequence, they partner with a Chinese NGO called China population welfare foundation. Over the past 10 years they have done 42 trips to China to conduct cleft palate surgeries. They also have done missions to other countries including Myanmar, Nigeria and the Philippines. Each  trip lasts two weeks. Between nine and 10 days are devoted to surgery. Each trip is staffed by two plastic surgeons, two anesthesiologists, a pediatrician, a dentist and other medical professionals including nurses. In addition there is the non-medical staff which handles administration, logistics, photography, etc.

This trip took 2 1/2 days of travel time. Because of restrictions with respect to shipping medical supplies into China, the medical supplies were brought in as baggage by the team participants. The trip involved three flight legs and a 6 1/2 hour bus ride. Upon arrival the team was welcomed with a banquet and then the following day they had their opening clinic. The clinic saw approximately 115 children in a single day to assess them for surgery. Each child was rated with a Dot system such that if they were an appropriate candidate for surgery they would get a green dot, if a small hurdle needed to be addressed before surgery they would get a blue dot, if they were to be reserved for surgery on the next mission they would receive a yellow dot and if the surgery was inappropriate they would receive a red dot. On the second day the operations began at the rate of two or three in the morning and two or three in the afternoon. Over the course of the two weeks a total of 75 patients were operated upon in 79 operations. The team received one day off in the middle of the mission and they spent that touring the surrounding country and being feted at a banquet.

 

The team not only performed operations but they functioned as teachers. Each of the medical professionals was shadowed by one or more similar Chinese professional.

Steve told us about his experiences as a rookie. He was trained as a laboratory medical technologist and consequently he had some familiarity with the Medical milieu. Steve is a veteran traveler who always flies first class so 2 1/2 days of traveling in coach including bus trips was an Adventure for him. The introductory banquet was somewhat overwhelming. The speakers and their interpreters all had their volume buttons turned up. Everything was the subject of another toast and the wine was 53% alcohol. By the end of the evening Steve had a bit of a buzz on. It was amazing that they had more than 20 interpreters. These are college students who were English majors. Steve did take issue with Joe describing the hospital as a modern facility.  From his perspective it was modern in 1950. For Steve, the most overwhelming experience was found in the families smiles upon seeing their children after the surgery had been completed. Steve told us that after he gets a chance to decompress, he would likely volunteer again. He did an informal poll and discovered that of the 22 volunteers it was the first time for only three or four and some have been on as many as 40 missions.

 

The program concluded with a slideshow documenting the mission. It does a wonderful job of showing not only the dedication of the volunteers but the excitement of the families, the fatigue of the volunteers and the marvel of the change that the surgeons were able to bring for these children.