Print this Page
Email this Page
Add Bookmark
Dr. Mosher Reflects on His Volunteer Trip
Although he specializes in plastic surgery in the Vancouver area, Dr. Mathew Mosher believes in sharing his skills through volunteer work in impoverished areas of the world. Dr. Mosher recently traveled to rural Guatemala with a group of 20 volunteers from Project HANDS to offer reconstructive plastic surgery to children and adults in need.
Guatemala is a large and beautiful country, but many impoverished residents live in remote areas with no access to or financial means to afford health care. Project HANDS has been taking Canadian surgical teams to some of these areas of Guatemala for the past 5 years.
Project HANDS Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Mission
On their first trip dedicated to plastic and reconstructive surgery, the volunteer team members succeeded in completing 75 procedures on 40 patients during a 10-day period. Most of the patients were children who had sustained severe burns at a young age and had never received treatment. The results of these injuries were deformities and loss of function from their extensive scars. Other patients included young and old indigenous people with congenital deformities, benign tumours, hand and wrist injuries, and a variety of other ailments.
Dr. Mosher reflects on this trip: "Doing surgery in this rural environment was both challenging and rewarding. Most patients only spoke one of the many Mayan dialects and had to travel by foot and by bus for many hours to get to the surgery clinic. Many of the stories and circumstances associated with these patients were heartbreaking and hard to imagine for those of us so fortunate to live and work in North America. However, despite their poverty, the Guatemalan patients were engaging, joyous and so grateful for our help. This trip really affected me as I thought about my own children and quality of our lives compared to our patients in Guatemala."
Before & After Photos
See some of the results Dr. Mosher has achieved for his cosmetic surgery patients.
Our Office
Office: (604) 888-9378 Medspa: (604) 888-9397
# 301 - 8837 201st Street, Langley BC, V2Y 0C8
Healing Children's Severe Injuries and Restoring Functionality
One patient, Escarleta, is a young girl who sustained burns to her hand that caused two of her fingers to curl into her palm. After her surgery, she courageously made the effort to personally say "gracias" to Dr. Mosher for restoring her hand.
Many of the children's injuries resulted from living in a dirt floored shack with an open fire for cooking. For example, a young patient had his arm fused to his chest for several years after a severe scalding injury as an infant. The team succeeded in separating his arm from his chest, which should restore normal function once the tissues have healed. "I am optimistic this young man will be throwing a ball around in a few more weeks," says Dr. Mosher.
Reflecting on his volunteer work, Dr. Mosher describes it as "a very emotional and gratifying experience to be able to help these patients." In addition to providing the surgery, the team established relationships with two plastic surgeons from Guatemala City. The surgeons appreciated having the doctors, nurses, and other volunteers assist with those patients in rural areas, who would be unable to receive treatment in larger hospitals where plastic surgery is available.
After having made such a difference for so many patients in a single visit, Dr. Mosher now hopes to travel annually with Project HANDS from his Vancouver area plastic surgery practice. For more information about Dr. Mosher's trip, visit Project HANDS.
