By generously donating their time and talents, several Porter physicians and nurses made a difference in the lives of children and adults in Nicaragua in February. Traveling with the nonprofit organization, Healing, Health & Hope, the volunteer medical team comprised of Plastic Surgeon Nicholas Retson, M.D., Anesthesiologist Vikram Appannagari, M.D., Nancy Lijewski, RN, Martha Schweizer, RN, and Janine Button, CST, performed 58 procedures in one week. The procedures included nine cleft lip, 15 cleft palate, and various other congenital and burn deformity surgeries.
The nonprofit organization, Healing, Health & Hope, led by Dr. Retson, travels with volunteer healthcare professionals at least twice a year, serving regions of India, Central America, and South America. The purpose of these trips is to bring surgical expertise to regions prevalent with cleft lips, cleft palates, and burn deformities, and to patients who could not otherwise afford these life-changing surgeries. This August, Dr. Retson will be traveling on his 40th mission. The team will be holding a golf outing to celebrate this milestone and raise funds for upcoming trips. For more information about this organization or the outing, visit www.healinghealthandhope.org
