Surgery Week Ha Giang Province 2025

 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 notoriety but his view that it is our duty to give back to the less fortunate.  Dr. Son has been working with our team for the past 17 yrs and he always makes time to dedicate several weeks a year to travel with us to give back to the less fortunate families in the mountains.  His dedication to his profession and duty to give back is something he teaches to his thousands of students over the years.  Therefore, when Professor Son calls, there is never a shortage of his students' current or past that raise their hands to  help the children.  This is the team of Plastic surgeons who joined Professor Son this week in Ha Giang. 
Another special moment was seeing a patient that we operated on last year.  She is doing well and this year Dr. Son and his team repaired her cleft palate.  
Photo from last year (before) and this week (after).

Also had an amazing homecoming moment as we had dinner at the home of a friend (Nguyet) , a local social worker who works with our program.   Nguyet has 2 daughters 15 and 3yrs old.   Last year Nguyet asked if I could join them as her daughter wanted to practice her English speaking skills.  Nice to spend quality time with the family again. It was a full night of fun dinner, motorbike tour around town, coffee then a late night stop at the yogurt shop.   Nguyet said her 3-year old daughter has been asking all year when Uncle Bob is coming back.    So sweet.   This is why I love what I get to do.   Our simple acts of kindness can have a real impact on others' lives.    Many more photos and videos on the Google Photo link :  https://photos.app.goo.gl/LhRKTmmThADnViHZA  Enjoy
 
Warm regards,
Bob McGarry

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