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CHEO physician Dr. Claudia Malic travelled almost 12,000 kilometres in November 2023 to lead a one-week plastic surgery camp in Chitrakoot, a remote area in northern India. She was left in awe by the stories of families who trekked a few hundred kilometres to access surgeries, meals and accommodation they otherwise couldn’t afford.
Dr. Malic, a plastic surgeon at CHEO for the past 10 years, led a team supported by U.K.-based charity Sewa UK to perform 25 surgical procedures, including cleft palates and burn contractures, in fewer than four days.
Outside of one anesthetist and an anesthesia assistant, the volunteer medical team consisted entirely of current and former CHEO staff: anesthetist Dr. Gillian Ramsey; retired nurse co-ordinator Sue Hunt; recovery nurse, RN Terry Pridham; and RNs Chester Gonzales and Jessica McAdam, who worked as scrub nurses on the team.
The camp team heard some difficult stories and treated patients who didn’t have the means to access the necessary medical care, said Dr. Malic.
She recalled treating a three-year old girl who couldn’t use her left hand because it was attached to her chest — an injury caused by severe burns when the girl fell into a pot of boiling milk when she was one year old. Dr. Malic also met a four-year-old boy who tried his first ever banana after a procedure.
As seen in a video posted online by Sewa UK, patients expressed gratitude for the quality of the care, the setting and the result of each procedure.
The team felt rewarded by the experience, especially during their busiest day when they saw 140 patients. Dr. Malic says she typically sees about 37 patients per day at CHEO.
She hopes to lead more camps in future years while trying to expand the team to include a urologist and another plastic surgeon.
“Having such an appreciation and understanding of other cultures, beliefs and expectations can only enrich the service we offer at CHEO,” she added.