Child Surgery Vietnam-USA 2026 Team USA 🇻🇳 🇺🇸

Quick update on the success of our 2023 Screening.   As you may know during the first few months of the year we travel to the poorest, most remote areas of Vietnam to screen the children for surgery (Feb-May).  During the screening we evaluate and schedule the babies for surgery or recommend other treatments.  After the screening phase we return to the same locations with a team of specialty surgeons from Hanoi to perform the operations (May-August). During our screening this year we evaluated 2,223 patients.   Of the 2,223 patients evaluated 905 will soon have surgery or other treatments.  People may ask Why only 50% receive surgery?: Many of the babies evaluated are babies who had surgery last year as follow-up assessment is critical to the success of the program.  We need to ensure the surgery was successful and the child is thriving.   There are also conditions that it is best to wait for body development prior to surgery.   Some ...

  Hi Team  It's been a few months since my last post.   Since returning from Vietnam in May I have adjusted back into my normal routine here at home.  I have been working on a goal of mine to establish Child Surgery Vietnam as an official Charitable organization here in the US.   Stay tuned for more news on that soon.   For now I am happy to announce that we have entered into a partnership with the National Eye Institute in Hanoi which will help provide surgeries for as many as 400 children with Strabismus. The most common form of strabismus is known as "crossed eyes." Strabismus appears to have a genetic component.  In addition, children with brain disorders, such as cerebral palsy or are also more likely to have strabismus.  Through our partnership the National Eye Institute will now be able to providing corrective surgery to as many as 400 children to restore their sight.   

  We closed out the 2023 screening in the Ha Tinh Province.  Ha Tinh is located in Central Vietnam approximately 300 km south of Hanoi.  This province was unique in that we held the screenings at a Private Hospital TTH.  There is a growing trend of private hospitals in Vietnam which are for profit facilities offering full line services with a focus on patient service and state of art equipment.   Our 2 days of clinic were very busy screening over 300 children. Click READ MORE for photos and Google Photos links. Google photo’s links: Day 1:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/3wnZFEsUwWtDomjU9 Day 2:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/shEHhKVgPpjkjdhh6

We closed out our visit to Quang Binh Province in the Dong Hoi district.  During this visit there was a high percentage of children with cerebral palsy and eye conditions in addition to several new and follow-up visits for cleft lip and cleft palate.  Click READ MORE for photos and link to Google Photos. Google photo link:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/wSqq7GTFkNykqGg56

Attended my first wedding in Vietnam.  Vietnamese tradition is you first are received at the brides family home, from there the groom and his family come to greet the family and guests.  After a few ceremonial traditions including paying respect to ancestors and parents a small reception and music follows.  From there the entire party proceeds to the home of the groom for more celebrations, food and music.  Unlike in the US the ceremony and reception is held at the bride and groom’s family home.  Typically they set up a tent in the street in front of the house to host the guest. A few more things that are different, they have a wedding cake, the bride and groom cut the cake but the cake is not served to the guest.  They have karaoke but no dancing.  Finally, it was an early morning start after late night celebrating the night  before with our host family.  The wedding was at 11:00 but we were awoken at 6:00am for breakfast as we had to be at ...

  Day 3 in Quang Binh Province we visited the Quang Ninh district.   In addition to multiple follow-up visits for Cleft Lip repair we saw many patients with extra digits on the hand.   Some times you wonder what attributes to these types of regional defects. Click READ MORE for photos and link to Google Photos. Google photo’s link:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/ADusnqKrcXZ61AeX8

Quang Binh Province is located in central Vietnam, bordering Laos to the west and the sea to the east.  As you move inland from the ocean the region offers beautiful hills and mountains,  which accounts for over 85% of the province.   Within the mountains the area is world famous for the large caves.  The capital Dong Hoi is a base for accessing the Phong Nah-Ka Bang National Park, featuring mountainous jungle and many limestone caves including the massive Son Doong Cave. Click READ MORE for photos and link to Google Photos. Google Photos link:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/osjbL2oUw8QH2ZWW8