Dr. Kaufman
Hi everyone. I just got back from a ten day surgery trip to Batangays, Philippines. The trip was organized by Medical Missions for Children and our group consisted of great doctors and medical professionals from around the U.S. It’s a great organization. We went with two surgeons, two anesthesiologists, and three nurses. We also had the help of a volunteer who helped do all the “little” things to make the trip successful.
The trip was great. We did procedures on about 20 children, mostly cleft lip and cleft palates. A good portion of the children had no access to medical care. In the United States, these deformities are completely addressed by the time a child is one year old. Most of these children ranged from 1 year old to 7 years… I even repaired a few women in their 30’s.
I really enjoy the Philippines every time I go. The people are wonderful and these procedures change the childrens’ lives. It’s medicine in its purest form… during the entire trip, I didn’t fill out a single form. The patients came. We evaluated them and recommended a procedure. The procedure was performed, and the children were returned to their parents, with the hope and promise of a better life.
Finally, as someone who loves food, the food is fantastic. I literally gained seven pounds in 10 days. Fresh mangos, feeding every two hours (our hosts were incredibly gracious), and perhaps a few San Miguels as well…
