Teaching the Next Generation

of Humanitarian Surgeons

In September, Dr. Jorge Palacios, ReSurge�’s surgical outreach director in

Ecuador, traveled with a team of Ecuadorian reconstructive surgeons to a

small Andean town called Loja. There, they provided life-changing surgeries

for patients with clefts, disabling burns and hand injuries�—continuing the care

ReSurge volunteers gave in the past. What is also remarkable about their

philanthropic journey is that his fellow surgeons were his former students.

�“Can you believe that our dream is nally coming true, that our graduated

residents are taking over the responsibility of keeping [ReSurge founder] Don

Laub�’s and ReSurge�’s dream alive?�” said Dr. Palacios.

In the last nine years, Drs. Palacios, Shafquat Khundkar (Bangladesh) and

Shankar Rai (Nepal) have pioneered the rst plastic surgery residency programs

in their countries. They founded the programs to signi cantly increase the

pool of local reconstructive surgeons devoted to helping the poor in their own

communities�—and it is working. Today, young men and women are training to

care of their own countrymen in critical need of reconstructive surgery.

In Ecuador, 21 plastic surgeons have graduated from Dr. Palacios�’s

program; others are in the process of completing their requirements.

The majority of the graduates are working in outlying provinces, like Loja

and Portoviejo, where reconstructive surgeons are needed the most.

(continued on page 4)

Inside

A Message from the President

and CEO Susan W. Hayes ............2

Back to School Despite

His Disability ................................3

Teaching Nursing in Nepal ...........4

One Thousand Surgeries .............5

Univision�’s Celebrity �“Doctora

Aliza�” Volunteers in Bolivia ..........6

�“Dr. Hien�” to Be Honored .............7

Healing Hands

Newsletter | Fall 2011

Dr. Shafquat Khundkar of Bangladesh with his resident and patients. Photo by John Urban.

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Thanks to Ronald

McDonald House

Charities

ReSurge International is deeply

grateful for our long-term partnership

with Ronald McDonald House

Charities (RMHC). Their most recent

grant (FY11), the Resurgence of Hope

initiative, greatly improved the quality

of life for 2,309 children who suffered

from disabling burn injuries, hand

injuries, clefts and other congenital

deformities.

An astounding 17,600 productive

years were restored to these

patients, and nearly $20 million will

be recovered in productivity for their

respective developing countries

over the patients�’ lifetimes.* This is

because these once-disabled patients

will now have the opportunity to go

to school, to work and to lead normal

lives, contributing to the economies

of their local communities. Prior to

surgery, their possibilities for such

productive lives were improbable.

Thousands of patients and families

have been transformed forever

because of the dedication and gener-

osity of RMHC. Many have regained

the use of their hands and legs, while

others can now more easily speak and

eat. Thank you RMHC for more than

12 years of restoring lives and hope.

*For more information on the

economic impact of surgical care,

please go to www.resurge.org/impact.

Photo by Darcy Padilla.

2

Same Mission: Name Changed

Habits can be hard to break! I know they are for me, more so the older I get.

So we understand that though we changed our name last fall to ReSurge

International, you may still think of us as Interplast from time to time. That is

okay with us!

Because the truth is that our name is the only thing that has changed. What

hasn�’t changed, and never will, is our commitment to transforming lives

through reconstructive surgery. Founded more than 40 years ago, we were

the rst organization of its kind. Now, through our new identity as ReSurge

International, we distinguish ourselves as one of the only organizations that

focuses on the full range of reconstructive surgery in the developing world.

And the work continues, just as before.

ReSurge International continues to reach out to vulnerable people in 13

countries, providing them with reconstructive surgery (hence, resurge) that

repairs bodies and restores hopes. Our patients �“resurge�” into a new life,

with renewed possibilities.

Inspired by our new identity, we also just completed a new strategic plan.

Its principal components demonstrate our commitment to the full scope of

reconstructive care (clefts, burns and other needs) and a strong commitment

to the patient that doesn�’t stop with the surgery, but begins with the surgery,

providing therapies that optimize function. The plan addresses one of the

most pressing unmet reconstructive need worldwide: the millions of people

who are disabled from debilitating burn injuries that prevent them from being

productive citizens. Our new plan also commits us to long-term growth, while

at the same time being cognizant of current economic realities.

And that is a good point upon which to end this message. You have always

been essential to everything we do around the world, and we are deeply

grateful. But in the current economic

climate, your continued support has never

been more important than it is right now,

today. So as you read the stories in this

newsletter, please take great pride in all

you�’ve helped us accomplish, and please

continue your support so we can keep on

reaching those who need us.

Sincerely,

Susan W. Hayes, President and CEO

Healing Hands | Newsletter | Fall 2011

3

Back to School Despite His DisabilityAlam lives in an apartment building in Dhaka,

Bangladesh, one of the most densely populated cities

in the world. With the lack of space to play, Alam used

the rooftop of his apartment building as his playground.

One day while ying a kite on the rooftop, he ran into an

electrically-charged wire and was badly injured.

Electrical burns often cause deep entry and exit wounds

and both of Alam�’s arms and hands were severely

burned. Although our surgical outreach director,

Dr. Shafquat Khundkar, couldn�’t do much to save Alam�’s

left arm, his right arm�’s muscles, nerves and joints could

still be reconstructed and made useful again.

When the next ReSurge volunteer medical team visited

Dhaka, Alam bravely underwent surgery, with

Dr. Khundkar and our medical volunteers collaborating

to restore function to his right arm.

Last year, we visited Alam to see his progress. His

mother shared that Alam was able to return to school

after his surgery. As she spoke, she handed him a pen

and asked him to show us how he could write his name.

World Report on Disability

For the rst time ever, a world report on

disability was jointly produced by the

World Health Organization (WHO) and

The World Bank.

Below are some interesting gures in

the report.

�• 1 billion people in the world live with

some form of disability.

�• 95 million children live with a

disability.

�• 45 million disabilities are due to

unintentional injuries.

�• 200 million people experience

dif culties in functioning.

Photo by John Urban.

Despite the fact that Alam lost one arm, his right

arm has enough function and strength to allow him

to hold a pencil and attend school�—an impressive

accomplishment considering the fact that �“disability

is one of the least visible, but most potent factors in

educational marginalization,�” according to the 2011

UNESCO education report.

The World Health Organization reports that in

Bangladesh alone, �“the cost of disability due to forgone

income from a lack of schooling and employment,

both of people with disabilities and their caregivers, is

estimated at US $1.2 billion annually.�”

With surgical intervention, Alam�’s life has been saved

from complete disability. He is just one example of

the many patients your support helps. With 95 million

children living with disabilities globally, today ReSurge

depends on your donations more than ever�—especially

in these dif cult economic times. Thank you for

continuing, or increasing, your support which allows us

to ful ll our promise to restore lives and hope.

Teaching Nursing

in Nepal

Six ReSurge volunteer nurse

educators recently went to Nepal to

help train the local nurses.

Dr. Shankar Rai, director emeritus of

ReSurge�’s surgical outreach program

in Nepal, had asked ReSurge to

design a teaching program for the

Nepalese nurses, after observing and

being impressed with the level of

care and concern ReSurge volunteer

nurses gave their patients.

Over the course of a month, the nurse

educators worked alongside Dr. Rai�’s

experienced nurses to collaboratively

teach his new nursing staff. The

teaching program covered a wide

variety of topics.

�“The nurses we are training are a very

willing and energetic group. We are

energized by their enthusiasm and Dr.

Rai�’s support,�” wrote volunteer nurse

educator Cheryl Wraa from Nepal.

ReSurge highly commends nurse

educators Molly Attell, Tina Cerruti,

Ingrid Crocco, Katie Osborn, Cheryl

Wraa and Kim Yates for their time and

dedication. The knowledge they were

able to leave behind will have a lasting

impact on the level of patient care in

Nepal moving forward.

4

Teaching the Next Generation (continued from cover)

�“I feel so proud, because they are very prominent and respected members of

their communities,�” commented Dr. Palacios.

In 2003, Dr. Khundkar founded Bangladesh�’s rst plastic surgery master�’s

program. In 2005, he established the rst plastic surgery fellowship program.

There are now 150 students between both programs, 75 of whom are residents

or new plastic surgeons. Dr. Khundkar has helped double the number of plastic

surgeons in Bangladesh, one of the most densely populated countries on earth

where half of its people live in poverty.

�“If I don�’t teach people to do plastic surgery, there will be no one doing plastic

surgery after me,�” said Dr. Khundkar. �“My expectations are that these students

who will be coming out will have the same feelings which I have in regard to the

patients and they will have the same attitude and the keenness to work for the

poor people of the country.�”

His expectations are being realized. Thus far, all 75 of Khundkar�’s residents

and former residents share his philanthropic spirit and are using their talents for

those who need it most, the impoverished of Bangladesh.

A few months ago, Dr. Rai founded Nepal�’s rst plastic surgery residency

program for the same reason: to provide more desperately needed care to the

poorest in the country. In January, the program will begin.

In Dr. Palacios�’s words, the dream is coming true. ReSurge helped to teach

these expert surgical outreach partners, and now these partners are training the

next generation. It is a dream of building surgical capacity, training the trainer

and thus increasing access to care. With the devotion of our developing world

partners and the help of donors like you, this dream is becoming a reality.

With your support,

ReSurge and its

partners, like Dr.

Palacios (pictured

here with his

residents), are able

to ensure that access

to care for the poor

continues to grow.

We can�’t do it with

out you! Please

donate today.

Photo by Adam Forgash.

Healing Hands | Newsletter | Fall 2011

5

The Donners and Barco�’s Nightingales Foundation

One Thousand ReSurge Surgeries

�“It was one of the best moments of my life,�” said donor Michael Donner, after

seeing ReSurge�’s work rsthand as part of a surgical team trip to Peru. �“The

common bond we shared was a compassion to do good deeds for children in

need. We all came together as a team to inspire each other and to help these

children have a better life. [Being part of the trip] was an unexpected miracle

and gift to me.�” Donner is president of the Barco�’s Nightingales Foundation,

and his strong commitment to helping those who need it most has enabled

the relatively new foundation to literally transform more than a thousand lives.

Barco�’s Nightingales Foundation was established in December 2008 by

Michael and his wife, Frida, on behalf of Barco Uniforms, based in Southern

California. �“It was their way of saluting the many generations of nurses and

their tremendous contribution to making the world a better place for each of

us,�” says a statement on their website (www.barcosnightingales.org). Their

mission is to �“elevate and promote nursing, while also honoring the spirit

of the profession by focusing [their] funding on helping children.�” To date,

the foundation has helped ReSurge provide more than 1,000 life-changing

surgeries for children around the world. �“[This milestone] is a great

achievement and we are very proud,�” said Donner.

On behalf of ReSurge International, all of our patients and their families whose

lives have forever been transformed, we thank Michael and Frida Donner,

and the Barco�’s Nightingales Foundation, for their steadfast commitment to

restoring lives and hope.

Tenacious Parents

Finally Get Surgery

for Their Daughter

Children with clefts may also have

other congenital issues. For those

patients, getting surgical care can be

extremely dif cult. Two-year-old Van

Nhuy is a twin who was born with a

cleft palate and missing a lung, but is

quite healthy otherwise; she literally

keeps her mother and twin sister

running and playing for hours. Her

parents had sought treatment for her

cleft palate on numerous occasions,

but were always rejected because she

had only one lung.

Luckily, Van Nhuy�’s great uncle is a

doctor in the Cao Lanh hospital where

the ReSurge team works. He had

heard that an expert anesthesiologist,

Dr. George Gregory, would be coming

to Cao Lanh soon and thought he

might be able to help.

Dr. Gregory has been a world leader

in pediatric anesthesiology since the

1960s and wrote Pediatric Anesthesia,

the leading textbook on the subject.

ReSurge is extremely fortunate to

have him on staff and as a regular

volunteer. But last April, Van Nhuy

was the truly lucky one. Dr. Gregory

examined her carefully, conferred

with the other anesthesiologists,

pediatrician and her parents, and then

deemed Van Nhuy healthy enough for

surgery. Now with her palate repaired,

Van Nhuy will be able to have a

normal, healthy life with her twin sister

and family.

Michael Donner with patient and his mother in Peru. Photo by Adam Forgash.

Helping Gabriel

Three-year-old Gabriel from La

Paz, Bolivia, came to see our

visiting ReSurge medical team

the last week they were offering

surgeries. With an already full

schedule, it seemed impossible

he would be able to receive

surgery during the team�’s visit.

One of the team�’s surgeons,

Dr. Jonathan Rausky, evaluated

Gabriel anyway. Upon seeing

Gabriel�’s condition, he knew

the team needed to help him as

soon as possible and thought his

devoted teammates would agree.

Gabriel was born with syndactyly,

a condition in which ngers are

fused together. In Gabriel�’s case,

four of his ngers on his right

hand were fused. Given Gabriel�’s

age, Dr. Rausky felt it was vital

he receive surgery as soon as

possible so that as he grew older,

his hand would have the oppor-

tunity to grow along with his body.

Well aware of the time-sensitive

nature of this surgery, the team

agreed to add Gabriel to their

schedule, even though it meant

they would have to work late that

evening.

Gabriel�’s surgery went very well.

The team was able to release two

of the fused ngers and asked

Gabriel�’s parents to bring him

back next year for one last

hand surgery.

Upon Dr. Aliza�’s

return to her radio

show, �“El Consul-

toria de la Dra. Aliza�”

on Radio Cadena

Univision, after her

time in Bolivia, her

producer surprised

her with a special

segment in which Dr.

Aliza was interviewed

about her time there.

�“The work we did in

Bolivia was a truly a

labor of love,�” she

described.

6

Univision�’s Celebrity Doctor

�“Doctora Aliza�” Volunteers in Bolivia

Univision, People en Español and VidaySalud.com health expert Dr. Aliza

Lifshitz (known as �“Doctora Aliza�”) spent a week volunteering with ReSurge�’s

surgical team in La Paz, Bolivia.

�“Seeing parents�’ happiness when they learned their children would receive

treatment, and their relief as the children recovered from surgery, was a

privilege and gave me tremendous joy,�” recalled Dr. Aliza upon her return.

Dr. Aliza�’s medical expertise and Spanish-language skills contributed greatly

to the team�’s success. She appeared with ReSurge�’s partner, Dr. Jorge

Terrazas, on Bolivia�’s third most-watched television show, �“El Noticiero

Bolivisión,�” where they took questions from callers and referred the

appropriate patients to the visiting ReSurge team.

The interview lasted 20 minutes, during which both Dr. Terrazas and Doctora

Aliza spoke of Dr. Terrazas�’ foundation, Fundacion S.O.S Mano, and ReSurge

International�’s work in Bolivia and around the world.

An hour after the interview aired, the hospital where ReSurge was working

was inundated with families who had watched the show and sought the

team�’s help.

During the team�’s visit, nearly 200 patients were screened for surgery and

almost half received either physical therapy or surgical treatment.

Dr. Aliza�’s husband, Carl Kravetz, a member of ReSurge�’s board of directors,

also volunteered in Bolivia, helping with the creation of medical charts and

serving as a translator for the team.

�“Dr. Hien�” To Be Honored at Gala

Dr. Hien Thi Nguyen knew the rural poor of her country needed the medical

services ReSurge provides and worked to make Vietnam one of ReSurge�’s

largest programs. More than 6,000 Vietnamese children have received 8,000

life-changing surgeries from 1,000 ReSurge volunteers on 83 trips.

Dr. Nguyen is the key reason for those phenomenal numbers. She has been

our leader and partner in Vietnam since 2000�—acting as a one-woman

advance team, translator, facilitator and host�—not to mention an expert

pediatric anesthesiologist and educator. Dr. Nguyen focused our work in

remote provinces where care was severely limited, restoring hope to those

without it. ReSurge�’s Vietnam program would not be possible without her

tireless efforts.

For her exemplary service, Dr. Nguyen will be honored at our Transformations

Gala. We hope you will join us there on November 5, 2011 at the Ritz-Carlton

in San Francisco. Please contact Libby Hart, libby@resurge.org, or our

website for further information.

Healing Hands | Newsletter | Fall 2011

7

Shop ReSurge

We are thrilled to announce the launch of our online store! Visit

our store and show your support for ReSurge by sporting a

new coffee mug, shirt or grocery bag with a ReSurge logo.

Visit www.zazzle.com/resurge_store or scan the QR code

(right) to start shopping today.

Surgical Team to Mali

The rst surgical team of our

2011-2012 volunteer trip season

headed off to Bamako, Mali, at

the end of September. They

spent two weeks providing

approximately 75 free surgeries to

burn survivors, as well as those

with clefts and hand injuries.

In Mali, there is only one

physician for every 12,800

people and no reconstructive

plastic surgeons. For the last

ve years, ReSurge International

has sent teams to Bamako to

restore function and hope and to

help build the country�’s surgical

capacity.

�“There were an endless number

of burn victims, cleft patients

and congenital hand cases. The

state of malnutrition and medical

needs was overwhelming,�” said

Beverly Kent, ReSurge director

of volunteer services and team

leader. �“Yet, it felt so wonderful

to know our team was helping

many poor people who have no

other alternative in seeking care.�”

Meet 11 of the Mali team

members by watching a

two-minute video on the

ReSurge YouTube page:

www.youtube.com/resurgeintl

Photo by Darcy Padilla.

www.resurge.org

( Formerly Interplast )

857 Maude Ave

Mountain View, California 94043

ReSurge International (formerly

Interplast) provides free recon-

structive surgeries for the poor

and expands year-round medical

access in underserved areas.

We restore the dreams of those

with deformities and injuries, and

renew the health of thousands

of people each year so they

can go to school, provide for

their families, and be productive

members of society.

Healing HandsIn this issue, learn about the

residency programs in Ecuador,

Bangladesh and Nepal, which are

helping train the next generation of

humanitarian surgeons. Read one

young boy�’s story of hope as he

overcomes his disability to return

to school and how one donor�’s

vision has helped provide more

than 1,000 ReSurge surgeries.

Top photo by Darcy Padilla. Right

photo by Phil Borges.

Newsletter | Fall 2011

Non-Pro t

Organization

U.S. Postage

PAID

Mountain View, CA

Permit No. 70

Interplast is now ReSurge International.