PROJECT HIGHLIGHT: LIFE IMPROVING SURGERIES IN GUAYAQUIL, ECUADOR

Every year in June for the last 19 years, Project Perfect World sends a medical team to Guayaquil, Ecuador for a 7 day medical/surgical mission trip.  Children whose families cannot afford life improving surgery for congenital defects are treated.  This year, a 42 person team including our Director of Operations, Doug Beck, made the annual trip.  Beck reported there were 18 successful general orthopedic and 6 spinal surgery procedures repairing congenital defects.  Spinal surgery procedures have only been available in the last five years in connection with this project.  The medical team happily noted this year’s trip was “the best year ever” and that even the most difficult surgeries went as smoothly as in United States surgical centers.

WHAT MADE THIS YEAR DIFFERENT

Different from prior years, this year Project Perfect World included a clubfoot training symposium hosted by the highly sought after Ponseti International program.

The project consists of 3 core components:

1. Training of trainers in the Ponseti method of clubfoot care - professionals in Orthopaedic surgery, rehabilitation medicine, orthotic technology and related fields
2. Development of a knowledge and data management support base for sustaining the program
3. Mobilization and treatment of children with clubfoot deformity

PPW was also pleased to report the development of an Orthotics/Prosthetics lab at the Roberto Gilbert Elizalde Children’s Hospital. In conjunction with the Junta de Benefincencia de Guayaquil this center will provide orthotics and prosthetics to children throughout the region. Two therapists from Guayaquil have been chosen to receive formal training and certification from a college in the United States next year.