Armenia, as all of our trips overseas, has been a wonderful, heart-warming and incredibly fulfilling experience, teeming with overwhelming kindness and caring by our staff and hosts alike. What is truly exciting about Armenia is the opportunity to establish a self sustaining program of plastic surgery care for children and
Final thoughts on Armenia from the Team Leader
From our Anesthesiologist
The number of children requiring surgical repair turned out to be so high that we started operating on the first day and did not stop until the last day of the mission. Although the workload was tremendous, the smiling and appreciative faces of children and parents were extremely rewarding. Furthermore,
A Fond Farewell
About two weeks ago I met the Plasticos Foundation team, which came to Armenia to help children with different types of pathologies. What happened next was completely unexpected for me. I was absolutely amazed and fascinated with love and care which was in the eyes of each member of the
Lip Service: Orphanage Babies
I will never forget several of the children and infants I was privileged to care for in Armenia. Many were from the orphanages. Despite the hub-bub of activity and cacophony of background noise including languages foreign to their ear they seem delighted to have stimulation to the otherwise presumably sterile
A great accomplishment
Our time in Armenia has come to an end. I feel incredibly fortunate to have been a part of the Plasticos group, and I am proud of the work that we have done for the children of Armenia. We pre-screened over 250 children before we came, and
From our Coordinator and Team Leader
Our Armenian heritage was a prominent factor in instituting Plasticos’ mission their country. Grandparents on both sides came from eastern Turkey/Armenia over a century ago. Friends and family told us of children placed in state run orphanages because of congenital anomalies. Some had parents, some not. Correction of these abnormalities
A Sucessful Trip All-Around
On Thursday afternoon we completed our last surgery. We did over 60 surgeries on 33 patients. With some patients, our surgeons operated on several parts of the patient’s body at one time. On Wednesday, our Medical Team tackled their most challenging case which included a series of operations on one
Traveling with Plasticos
Working in an OR in a foreign country can be challenging, but is always interesting. Our practices differ, and we have varying ideas of how-limits the OR should be and what one should wear in it. But ultimately, we are there for the patient, and that is what unites us.
From our Anesthesiologist
What shall I say? Words cannot adequately express my feelings about this mission. It was my first, and it sure will not be my last. Placing my extensive responsibilities at home aside, I left for what would be one of the most memorable experiences of my life. Our team was
Pediatrician’s Perspective
A fifteen minute brisk walk in the morning gets us from the hotel to the hospital. It’s a beautiful day in the city of Yerevan; the weather reminds me of our weather back home. l get greeted by “ bare luis”, “bare luis “ as I walk in, staff and