Poor kids get free corrective surgery

Three of the world’s leading cosmetic surgeons are currently doing free corrective surgery on 55 indigent kids in Parañaque City who were born with facial deformities under an Australian-based international mission called Operation Restore Hope (ORH).

Alay sa Kinabukasan (ASK), a foundation organized by Mayor Joey Marquez and his two siblings, is overseeing the free operation which began Monday at the Parañaque Community Hospital in Barangay La Huerta. Last year, ORH operated on 47 children born with cleft lips or cleft palates.

Operation Restore Hope chairman Dr. Darryl J. Hodgkinson, one of the few surgeons in the world to hold two degrees in plastic surgery, said his team will do the free operation until Friday.

Besides Hodgkinson, the two other surgeons on the mission include Dr. Tristan de Chalain of New Zealand and Dr. Christopher Wachsmuth of Germany. Eleven others flew in with the mission whose members volunteer their time and who spend their own money to travel to Third World countries to treat underprivileged children with facial deformities.

They are Dr. Howard Roby (Australia), Dr. Mark Reddy (NZ) and Dr. Cathal Nolan (Ireland), anesthetists; Dr. Lothar Fulden (UK/Australia), dentist; Sue Slater, Wendy Shephered, Sally Lomax, Josephine Reabsan, Pearl Ventura and Tess Oliva, all from Australia; and ORH administrator Katherine Hodgkinson.

Also with the mission is Fe Cabagtulan, wife of Philippine Consulate General Libran Cabagtulan.

ASK Foundation president Damba Marquez, who is coordinating the project together with sister Via Marquez-Hoffman, said the free operation is being done in cooperation with the city government of Parañaque and the PCH staff led by Dr. Loreleigh Obed.

A normal operation said, costs between P20,000 and P30,000. "It could cost more, up to P70,000, if more than one surgery are needed," he said. "A poor kid would remain untreated and permanently disadvantaged without such charity surgical services such as those extended by ORH." Donations to ORH can be coursed through ASK telephone numbers 820-4882 and 0919-3591243.