During our most recent visit to El Salvador, volunteers Kathy S. and Aurora H. set out to follow up with patients from previous missions. They were able to contact about 25 patients from the past two years in El Salvador and learn how their procedures have affected their lives.
Valeria was just 3 years old when a pot of boiling water spilled on her right hand, leaving severe damage that would affect her into her early twenties. The scar tissue restricted the movement of her wrist so that it was always stuck at a right angle. During the 2021 mission, our surgeons removed some of the scar tissue on her wrist to increase her mobility. Now, Valeria can straighten her wrist fully, and her renewed mobility has opened up many more opportunities to her, such as meaningful work. Although our mission focuses on children born with cleft lips and palates, we are grateful to be able to use our resources to help those burdened by other deformities as well, such as burns.
When we met Christopher in 2021, he was 3 years old and did not speak. He had a unique lateral cleft case that our surgeons had never seen before. His mother told us that now, 1 year after his brachial cleft repair, he can speak! The family is very happy and looks forward to seeing us during our next mission to El Salvador.
Jonathan is a burn victim who lost the use of both hands. All of the fingers on his left hand were fused together by scar tissue. In 2021, Mending Faces was able to help free his thumb on his hand and gave him the ability to grasp. He is so happy with his renewed sense of independence!
Andres, then 15, received a lip revision and tip rhinoplasty from Mending Faces in 2021. We were so happy to hear that with his new pride and confidence, Andres is attending school in California!
These life changing stories are the reason we do the work we do. Thank you for your support of our mission to restore hope and provide a brighter future to those whose lives are burdened by cleft lip, cleft palate and other deformities.
Colorado Gives Day is Tuesday, December 6, and features a $1 Million+ Incentive Fund. Every nonprofit receiving a donation on Colorado Gives Day receives a portion of the fund, increasing impact and the value of every dollar donated.
Help us provide free life-changing surgery to children in the Philippines, the Dominican Republic and El Salvador. Schedule your Colorado Gives Day donation today.