Doctor Brian Palafox in Vietnam, Thanh Hoa performing cardiac surgery.
Working in conjunction with Arpan Global Charities this mission was held at pediatric Hospital of Thanh Hoa in Vietnam from March 20th to April 4, 2009. A team of twelve volunteers including two nurses, a scrub tech, an ECHO tech, a cardiothoracic surgeon, a pediatric surgeon, a family physician, a pediatrician and four non-medical volunteers from California participated in this mission. In addition to volunteers from California there were many medical and non-medical volunteers from Thanh Hoa helped to make this mission another successful mission of Spread Aloha To The World Charities.
During this mission 45 surgical procedures and 55 echocardiograms were performed. About 250 in-patients, out-patients and emergency room patients were examined and treated. Our team members gave several formal and informal talks and were involved in extensive bedside teaching in the emergency room, NICU as well as in the operation rooms. Many team members helped the poor families by providing them cash funds to buy meals while their loved one was admitted to the hospital..
Another highlight of this mission was our visits to orphanages and family shelter center in Saigon where our team members examined and treated more than 150 orphans. We distributed clothes to the orphans and donated tons of rice for their use. In addition we visited a remote indigenous area where many more patients were seen and treated and more clothes were distributed to the needy and poor children.
Mission Thanh Hoa was made possible only because of support by Dr. Hai, the President of Thanh Hoa Pediactric Hospital, Cecil Stevens Charitable Foundation, and the funds from All for One Foundation.