2017

Here we go again

22.09.2017: Start of our new mission in Myanmar

These days, the people in Myanmar are exposed to climatic change because of several monsoons. Especially the area near Mandalay, where our project will take place again, struggles with not only the weather, but also the current political environment. In some parts of the country, there have been armed conflicts between rebel forces and the military for years. Additionally, the swine flu caused several deaths. So this year, the doctors have to take further precautions.

23.09.2017: Arrival at Sitagu Ayudana Hospital

Our first action after the 15 hour flight is to check if all the luggage arrived safely at the airport. With no detours, we are on our way to the monastery hospital, already awaited by many patients. After a traditional welcoming ceremony, we get to meet all the children and their families. The next steps are to outline a schedule for the next days and unpack all our surgical tools, medicals etc.

24.09.2017: The first surgeries

We get up early and leave our hotel for the first few surgeries. Our nurses and the local staff prepare the small patients, so that the anesthetics (Dr. Martin Bauer, Dr. Reiner Wäschle and Dr. Daniel Heise) can take care of the children’s narcosis. In the meantime, assistants take their time to inform the parents about the necessary medicals and aftercare. After the surgeons (Dr. Julia Berkei, Dr. Klaus Exner, Dr. Farzin Nourbakhsh, Dr. Bianca Baican and Dr. Barun Sarkar) done their job, the children are placed in a recovery room, where the nurses, medical students and medical assistants (Dr. Farnoush Nourbakhsh, Chiara Sarkar, Antonia Diercks, Livia Berkei, Jasmin Ulunam, Hendrik Steenfadt, Jenny Millette, Christoph Schieckel and Doerthe Bauer thoroughly take care of them. While the surgeons treat malformations and scarring, dentist Dr. Christoph Hegerl looks after the patients’ dental hygiene.

28.09.2017: The last surgeries

Braving numerous power cuts and the tough weather, our team managed to treat more than 70 children within a week. The story of little May will be remembered a long time. She was a six years old girl who was born with a dual cleft lip and palate, which lead to issues ingesting food. Therefore she was extremely underweight. Because of her appearance, her and her whole family were being excluded from the community. Meeting the doctors of MIT, they got the chance to assure May a normal life and themselves a place in society. Stories like these show us the necessity of our project. We promised the parents of all the children who we couldn’t perform surgery on, that we will return in 2018 for sure. Thanks to the support of our friends and donors in Germany, there will be further journeys to Myanmar.

Thank you!

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Impressions 2017: