March 2009 Surgery Team
On March 21, 2009, the 12th surgery team arrived at the Mission of Hope hospital in Santa Cruz, Bolivia for a week of free surgeries. The team was led by Dr. Charles Gross, an ENT surgeon (ears, nose and throat) from the University of Virginia. He was joined by team members from Oregon, Michigan, Washington, Washington D.C., North Carolina, Tennessee, Florida and Virginia, who all came together to serve the poor in Bolivia. It was a week of great blessings for the 70 patients who were selected for surgery. The doctors were able to construct ears for children born without ears, remove tonsils that had caused painful infections, remove nasal obstructions, and patch holes in eardrums to end years of chronic infections.
Some of the patients who were chosen for surgery.
The team arrives at the Mission of Hope Hospital.
Some of the patients waiting to find out what day their surgery will be.
The nurses meet for the first time to plan the week of surgery.
Wendi, six years old, waits for admission.
Aldahir, ten years old, awaits having a tonsillectomy.
Noemi, six years old, waits for admission. Noemi had successful surgery to repair a perforated ear drum.
Aldahir ready for his surgery.
Jose, 14 years old, was born with only one ear. He lives with his parents in Cochabamba, Bolivia. He rode on a bus for 12 hours to each screening appointment. Using cartilage from his rib and tissue from his inner thigh, doctors were able to form an outer ear for him!
Susana and Ana enjoy coloring together as they wait for their turn for tonsil surgery.
Jose after his surgery with Terry Elzinga.
Calvin, who is six years old, had a successful tonsillectomy.
Nancy Cooper with Susana (a different Susana than the picture to the left) before Susana’s tonsillectomy.
Ivonne (center) and Terry (right) talk with a patient’s mother whose daughter is in surgery.
Daniel, 7 years old, lives in a very poor Ayore Indian village with his grandmother. He was born with a hole in the roof of his mouth. After surgery, Daniel spoke his first clear words and was able to eat and drink without problems for the first time in his life!
Dania, who is twelve years old, waits for admission. She had a successful tonsillectomy.
Alie Cooper (left) with Cleofe and Gladys Candelaria (right) before her ear reconstruction surgery. Cleofe, 19 years old, was born without an ear.
Dr. Mark Schneyer with Noemi.
Robin Sommer plays ring-around-the-rosy with the kids.
Pastor Chris Dakus speaks to the patients with Ivonne Gilmer (far right) translating.
Jhon Maicol, who is five years old, had an ear reconstruction surgery.
Patients having a time of praise and worship.
Abel (left) and Carlos (right). Abel is 43 years old and had ear surgery to restore hearing in his right ear. Carlos returned this year for followup surgery on his facial tumor.
Cesar (left) and Felipe (right) before their tonsillectomy surgeries.
Leticia, hearing for the first time, is thrilled with her solar-powered hearing aid!
Bobbie Thornton with Jose Augusto.
Jose Daniel (right) and Jose Augusto (left) competing with each other for the tallest pyramid of cards.
Dr. Joe Han (left) and Dr. Charlie Gross (right).
Branly colors with Bobbi Thornton. Branly is eight years old and had a tonsillectomy. She traveled with her mother all the way from Trinidad, over 16 hours away, to come to Mission of Hope.
Ivonne Gilmer (left) looks on as Dr. Mark Schneyer (center) talks with Anne, our translator for the Mennonite patients who only speak German.
Wendi waiting for her ear surgery.
Najera shows off her coloring book. She is eight years old and had a tonsillectomy.
Jose, who is 56 years old, had throat surgery.
Susana waits for her surgery.
Jose Daniel with Bobbi waiting to go into the operating room.
Dr. Bill Gross takes a break between ear reconstruction surgeries to write some orders for the nurses.
Dr. Han (left) explains to Barbara (center) the surgery he will perform with Ivonne (right) translating.
Ivonne with Marioli who was operated on last year and came back for a check-up.
Robin helps Daniel eat after his surgery.