CSVN Vietnam 2023 Team USA 🇻🇳 🇺🇸

Quick follow-up from my post on surgery week in Ha Giang Province.   James, a young man I met volunteering at the Center for Visually Impaired Children.  James asked if he could join our team to help the children.   James is from California but now lives here in Hanoi with his wife.     On our way to Ha Giang Province I asked James "You must be thinking what can I do to be of value as a volunteer this week for the children?   I advised James that the best value he and I can bring is to engage with the children and families.  They will feel very special. This experience will be life changing so take in those special moments.  After this week you will want to share your experience and love you felt with friends and family.   It will be hard to put into words the true feelings you will have meeting the children and families first hand.  So enjoy the experience and capture the special moments that will ...

It's been a very busy time here in Vietnam .   Just completed a 3 week road trip which took us to 3 of the most remote provinces on the Laos and China borders: Binh Dinh, Lai Chau and Lao Cai.   June 1st at 5:30am members of our team and specialists from Hanoi set off for a 14 hour drive to Binh Dinh province.   On arrival we were warmly greeted by over 250 families and children awaiting surgery. Over the 3 week trip we performed over 500 life changing surgeries.    My fondest memory from our trip was tears of joy.   So many parents and children could not hold back the tears when expressing their gratitude for helping their family and children receive the life changing care that they could not afford.  I feel so blessed to represent Team USA and only wish you could be here to receive first hand the so many heartfelt  words of appreciation.   Your selfless support is impacting so many lives. Example :  We had a...

Quick update on our 3 week road trip. Week two was spent in Lai Chau Province on the border of China. Most notable about the northern regions of Vietnam is the diversity of the population. In Dinh Binh and Lai Chau less than 20% of the population is Vietnamese. 80% of the population is represented by many different ethnic groups. In Lai Chau the Vietnamese population is 16% the largest ethnic groups are Thai at 31%, Mong 24%. The diversity is amazing and the different ethnic tribes still wear the traditional clothing to identify themselves. . image.png It is the beauty of the landscape, the people and cultural diversity that makes the northern provinces my favorite places in Vietnam. If you are ever in Vietnam make visiting one of the northern provinces a priority. I hope to capture some of the beauty of Lai Chau province in the Google photo link. Enjoy https://photos.app.goo.gl/AbA4DduVMCzp69hH8 Regards, Bob McGarry

Hello from beautiful Quang Binh Province.   Quang Binh is located in central Vietnam and features both ocean front and amazing mountain ranges.  The volume of patients screened this week was lower however 60% of those we screened will  receive surgery in the coming months.   Quang Binh is a province we have been serving for years and the local medical community has experience identifying those who are best suited for our services.    Baby Minh is the youngest baby at only 7 weeks who will benefit from your generosity.   We will perform cleft lip repair on Minh when we return for surgery in July.   Changing her future forever.  Here is the Google photo link for the Quang Binh screening.   Based on popular demand I have added many more photos of the local area and regional food.   Enjoy. https://photos.app.goo.gl/ HCLUsqUsw6WFkEuU6 Next week we head north to Cao Bang Province in the mountain...

 This week we serviced Cao Ban Province.   Cao Bang is the furthest province north on the border of China. Only a small river separates Vietnam from China at the famous Thac Ban waterfalls.  So the people in this photo are in China and I am standing in Vietnam taking the photo.  The province is full of natural beauty.   Amazing mountains which contain a network of underground caves.  I traveled to the province a few days early to take in the sites.   The team had another productive week.    We evaluated 490 children, scheduled 161 for surgery in July and recommended alternative treatments for another 21 children. To respect local regulations I did not take photos of patients this week.   However, the attached google photo link has plenty of photo's to show the local beauty of Cao Bang province.     https://photos.app.goo.gl/ ewVWKBu94PKD3CnJ7 Enjoy......Bob McGarry

 Another busy surgery week in Ha Giang province.   Ha Giang is located in northern Vietnam on the border with China.   Ha Giang is famous for its beautiful mountain ranges and the Ha Giang Loop which is a 3-4 motorbike adventure through the majestic mountains.   Everywhere you look you are surrounded by mountains.   Special moments for the week included spending quality time with my friend Dr. or as his students call him Professor Son.   Professor Son is the most renowned plastic surgeon in Vietnam and author on several textbooks known as the bible of Plastic Surgery in Vietnam . He signed a few copies of his latest textbook as gifts for the local surgeons.                                      My meaningful discussions with Dr. Son had nothing to do with his noto...