
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.
Noemi, six years old, waits for admission. Noemi had successful surgery to repair a perforated ear drum.
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!
Nancy Cooper with Susana (a different Susana than the picture to the left) before Susana’s tonsillectomy.
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!
Alie Cooper (left) with Cleofe and Gladys Candelaria (right) before her ear reconstruction surgery. Cleofe, 19 years old, was born without an ear.
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.
Jose Daniel (right) and Jose Augusto (left) competing with each other for the tallest pyramid of cards.
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.
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.