In October 2012 Dr. Rafael Barrera and his 24 member volunteer team traveled to Quito Ecuador. This incredible volunteer team screened over 180 patients and performed over 100 surgeries in five days at the Hospital un Canto a la Vida: 35 lip and palate cases, 35 dental procedures under general anesthesia and 40 scar revisions. Many of the children traveled by canoe and horseback from the southern basin of the Amazon to Quito in hopes of being able to receive surgery. Our many thanks to our local coordinator Mary Kay Barrera for her hard word year round to pull this mission off. It could not happen without her! MMFC is also grateful to our dedicated sponsors and mission supporters: NSLIJ – Long Island Jewish Medical Center; Mr. Fuad Dassum; Mr. Pedro Alvarez; Mrs. Susana Alvarez; Mr. Alberto Rosales; Claudio Crespo, Patricia Jarrin; and Leonidas Naranjo.
This year we also had some wonderful translators, and our thanks goes to Bernardo Viteri, Matias Viteri, Margarita Barrera, Estefania Castro, Diego R. Barrera, Miguel Andrade, Maria Paula Rivadeneira. Together, this group of talented and generous people worked together to help so many Ecuador children in need – a true testament to teamwork.
All photographs were taken by team member Roberta Anslow.
