Mission blog now at Rotaplast.Typepad.com

Rotaplast International has created a blog for all mission photojournalists so they are centralized in one location. All future posts will be made there so change your bookmark over to: http://rotaplast.typepad.com/missions/oaxaca-2009/

Greetings from Dr. Frank Leake, Mission Director

Rotary District 5130 is very excited about our Rotaplast mission to Oaxaca, the capital city in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico, January 15-25, 2009. Although it’s the fourth mission to Oaxaca for Rotaplast International it is the first one jointly sponsored by our district (5130) and the Rotary Club of St. Helena.

Some 75 medically indigent children from outlying rural areas will receive evaluation for cleft lip/palate repairs by our highly skilled medical/surgical/dental Rotaplast team of volunteers from all over the U.S.

Our Medical Director is plastic surgeon Dr. Janet Solomonson who has given her time and creative talent to many Rotaplast missions over the years. I had the pleasure of serving on her Rotaplast team last January in Oaxaca hosted by the Club Rotario de la “Guelaguetza”of Oaxaca. They are also hosting this next mission.

The Jan.”09”the medical team will be comprised of 14 medical volunteers and 10 Rotarian non-medical volunteers from Rotary District 5130.

The need is great in Mexico with some 40% of its citizens living at or below the poverty line! In these trying times of economic distress, religious conflicts and wars, humanitarian endeavors such as Rotaplast may be the best out reach from one culture to another!

Thanks for sharing in our passion for people less fortunate than we are.

Yours in Rotary Service, Frank Leake, MD -Mission Dir(Oaxaca)

Rotaplast-Rotary District Ambassador

fvv@napanet.net

Rotaplast International

BUILDING BRIDGES OF PEACE THROUGH SMILES AROUND THE WORLD SINCE 1992

OUR VISION

Rotaplast International is a non-profit humanitarian organization providing free reconstructive operations and treatment for children in need worldwide. We provide long-term solutions by funding and mentoring local physicians; launching public education projects; and advancing research. Through collaborative programs throughout the world, Rotaplast efforts expand far beyond surgical intervention and help foster international goodwill, peace and understanding.

The goal of Rotaplast International is to eliminate the incidence of untreated cleft lips and palates in children worldwide by the year 2025. Rotaplast will employ the following strategies to reach this goal:

Facilitate medical missions to provide surgical intervention for children who are not able to receive treatment or who are in need of more complicated medical procedures than can be provided by local physicians.

Counsel families about ways of reducing the incidence cleft palate anomalies through diet, vitamin supplementation, and life style changes.

Collaborate with local health professionals on follow-up care and on development of comprehensive cleft palate programs where feasible.

Learn about the incidence and causes of cleft lip and palate anomalies, including both genetic and environmental factors.

Educate local physicians and specialists by urging them to work with our teams to broaden their skills in treating cleft anomalies.

Foster international goodwill and fellowship by working with Rotarians as well as with health officials in host countries.