In January, Dr. Noah Siegel led MMFC’s Surgical and Dental Teams on our 13th consecutive annual mission to Obras Sociales Hermano Pedro Hospital in Antigua, Guatemala. The 26-member volunteer team hailed from all over the United States. The team screened over 100 patients, ran 4 operating rooms a day on this 5-surgical day mission, and performed 65 surgeries. The dental team provided dental services to an additional 65 children.
MMFC would like to thank Obras Sociales Hermano Pedro for their warm welcome and staunch support. Special thanks to Dr. Guillermo Gaitan, Dr. Ivan Vides, Dr. Claudio Gonzales, Odra Flores, Anabela Morales, Luz Elena, and the entire OR staff, and TESS Unlimited and Partner for Surgery for their outreach and pre-screening efforts on our behalf.
MMFC is deeply grateful to our mission sponsors, Eric and Liz Lefkofsky and the Lefkofsky Family Foundation. Their commitment to children and families around the world is awe-inspiring and we are humbled by their recognition and support. Notable mention also is made to Ms. Mary Fox who believes in and supports her dear friend, Dr. Noah Siegel.
The following are just a few of the many children who have received life-changing and in some instances, life-saving surgery because of our talented and selfless volunteers and our generous and kind-hearted donors.
Rogiberto, age 9 months
Elsa, age 5 months
Luis, age 4 months
Damaris, 5 months in 2011 when MMFC fixed her lip and this year, and almost 1.5 years when she returned this year for a palate repair.
Britany, age 7 months
Our Microtia team operated on 24 children and young adults. On the last day of our mission, all the pateints, the MMFC team members and the patients’ families gathered for smiles and a group photo – job well done by everyone!
Dr. Charlie Badaoui and two local dental assistants provided dental services to 65 children during the mission. What an accomplishment!
MMFC is proud to work so well with Obras Sociales Hermano Pedro and its OR staff members. This year, MMFC was invited to return to Obras Sociales Hermano Pedro for a second mission this June and every year thereafter. MMFC will continue to perform cleft and microtia surgeries, and has also agreed to provide general plastics surgery and dental services to the 220 mentally and physically challenged residents of the Obras Sociales Hermano Pedro Orphanage. We look forward to returning in 4 months.
