Rotaplast Missions

Great Success in Siyang, China

The Rotaplast team has had numerous great successful procedures in six busy days in Siyang, China.

Along with our hosts from the Siyang County Hospital, we have repaired lips and palates, and brought happiness to many other patients with surgical needs that be safely and effectively cared for by the physicians, dentist, nurses and team members who have traveled here.

We met patients like Shu Ping Zhao, age 21. She waited many years for her cleft lip repair. We also met loving little ones like Shi Qin Yan, Xiao Shuo Feng, and Lan Nu Lu. Lan Nu (who is a little girl) was probably the most perky little lady of the day.

Before and after pictures of the cleft lip surgies are the most vivid examples of the changes that a Rotaplast team will bring. Mothers and grandmothers smile. Even in China, stoic men can be heard to utter a quiet "shay shay" (thank you) when Gretchen and Dave deliver a patient out of post op and back to the pediatric ward.

We feel quite fortunate that word of our team's work has spread throughout Siyang. We screened approximately 35 patients when we arrived late last week. Since then we have screened about the same number of children and teens. The favorite thing for any of us to hear the past few days has been Louise Capozzi, Medical Records, saying, "We've got another walk in."

All of us on the team will be beside you soon enough, looking back at the history of the trip portrayed on this blog. We hope it will reflect on the warmth of the Chinese people. We have all worked very well together. It has been a great honor to be invited to Nanjing and Siyang.

The young Chinese physicians and nurses that worked with our medical team are well trained and hard working according to our Dr. Don LaRossa and all the other medical volunteers who served with them these past few days.

Rotaplast trips create as many memories for team members as they do for the families we are able to help.

We represent the United States, Canada, Holland and Uruguay. Some of us only learned how to say hello "nee-HA" and thank you "shay shay". However, we all learned that the Chinese people are very warm and grateful for the help they receive. They are also fascinated by westerners. They come up to us in the hospital, hotel and even on the street just to say "hello".

It has been a wonderful experience and one thing we perhaps don't even need to translate is the "shay shay" to the Chinese people that we will take home on Sunday. This trip has changed our lives forever.

Siyang Welcomes Rotaplast

We enjoyed blue skies over the city, as the team went to work in Siyang March 20,2009. We arrived here late Thursday night. A five hour bus ride following a full day in the hospital completing seven surgeries, left everyone a little tired and ready for rest.

Siyang is small in comparison to Nanjing.  At the welcome ceremony today we were told the city is about one million people.   The weather was cool in the morning, on the short walk to the hospital.  By lunchtime the sun was shining and temperatures were very nice.

The screening clinic followed a brief welcome ceremony. We were greeted cordially by our hosts. From administrators, doctors, nurses, and patient families, we have found the Chinese people to be extremely nice, gentle, and happy we are visiting.

The doctors and nurses screened 39 patients today. There were several palates and lips. In the patients there were also several other sad, but medically interesting burns, scars and other cosmetic abnormalities.

Screening clinics are often very scary and noisy places. The unknown frightens the little children. A hemoglobin check also involves a "poke" by nurse Rene or nurse Sarah. But the love of the Rotaplast team members has a way of cutting through the language barriers, calming hearts and nerves, and even making those little hurts feel better quickly.

Surgeries in Siyang will start on Saturday, March 21. Perhaps it is significant that the first day of springtime will also signify a change in the lives of these patients. The benefit of the skill of the Rotaplast doctors and nurses, the dedication of the Rotarian volunteers, and the support of thousands of other Rotarians and donors who make missions like this trip to Nanjing and Siyang a reality.

First Day of Surgery in Nanjing

With great joy we got down to work on Wednesday, March 18. Four cases were completed. The Chinese and the Rotaplast doctors and nurses are working very well together and enjoying the experience of caring for the young children of Nanjing.

The first surgery completed was little Ciai Wang, who had a cleft pallet repaired by Dr. Roland Minami.

Everyone was especially pleased to see additional patients added to the schedule for Thursday. Drs. Stan Flemming and Rene Vreuls screened the "walk in" patients who were also examined by a member of the surgical team and then scheduled for surgery.

The team still intends to move to another hospital in Siyang Thursday after work is complete, or Friday. We will see many more patients there. The hospital is about two hours away from where we are currently working. It is also affiliated with the Nanjing Medical College.

One of the highlights of the trip has been 22 year old Juan Tong. She has a birth defect on her hand (an additional thumb). She will be operated on Thursday - but since all the patients under care are at the hospital - she has been helping translate and become friendly with most of the Rotaplast team. She has been a delight as she has worked on her English skills.

To see Westerners is quite unusual it appears. Everyone we meet greets us and they are happy we are here. The opportunity to work with Western trained medical professionals has also been very exciting for the local doctors and nurses.

As We are Made Welcome; the Mission Truly Begins

The Nanjing Team was warmly welcomed by the hospital administration and staff members of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Tuesday morning. It is an honor for all of the team members to able to work in such a large (700 bed) teaching hospital.

Tuesday afternoon the doctors and nurses screened patients for surgery. After careful consideration, and in cooperation with our hosts, it was agreed that only two of the patients could not be medically cleared for surgery. Those surgeries will commence Wednesday morning.

Dr Angelo Capozzi, Medical Director, and Mission Director Bill Rowley agreed this trip is an excellent example of the mission of Rotaplast - that this team, made up of medical and non-medical volunteers from four countries, can come to China to help care for the children of Nanjing. There is also an excellent chance to learn and share experience in work with many of the resident physicians training at the hospital. We all look forward to two days of surgery here, and then a move to the city of Siyang where there will be many other patients needing Rotaplast care.

Arrival in Nanjing

We have arrived in Nanjing and all is well.  There are some computer glitches to be ironed out and photos will follow tomorrow.  The team meets for dinner tonight at 7:00 to discuss the plans for the week.  We are tired, but encouraged by the mission of Rotaplast to keep on going even when we are tired.  To all of our relatives reading this blog, everyone is well.  Our work begins for real in the morning.