In the past we have collaborated with other entities to bring in children from the Dominican Republic who are in need of surgery. Thirteen year old Lisbeth Garcia was brought to St. Louis, MO for scoliosis surgery. Her treatment entailed the placement of a halo traction device on her skull (shown below) before her definitive surgery. During the 2 months of treatment, Lisbeth received excellent care at Mercy Hospital and had an excellent result.
Lisbeth in Halo Traction
During visit from POP Team member Anesthesiologist Rich Nigro
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Lisbeth’s Back before and 6 months after spinal fusion surgery
In 2017, a total of 4 patients received care in St. Louis.
Yonalfrin Diaz is a 12 year-old boy from Santiago, Dominican Republic with a severe scoliosis secondary to a condition called Neurofibromatosos I. Like Lisbeth, he required halo traction and will receive 2 more surgeries to achieve correction.
Yonalfrin with POP Team nurses Natalie Stock & Amy Cattron
Perla Sosa is a 14-year-old girl, also from Santiago, DR who became paralyzed after sustaining a gunshot wound to the abdomen in November 2016. The POP team met her during the November mission and was motivated to help. She received intensive physical therapy courtesy of spinal injury therapists at Mercy in 2017. She improved so much that she was able to dance at her “Quinceañera” celebration. Special thanks to Craig Licklider of Orthotic & Prosthetic Lab, Inc for the custom leg brace which will allow her gait to improve.
