Ecuadorian children will receive life changing operations when Project Change Bermuda arrives on Saturday.

This is the second time that Project Change Bermuda will be heading for Ecuador, but it is Dr. Christopher L. Johnson?s tenth visit to the South American nation. On their last visit, they with the parent organisation of Project Change is the University of Massachusetts Foundation.

At that time they treated 270 patients with cleft palate/cleft lip reconstruction, burn reconstruction, microtia repair or the reconstruction of children born without ears in just over a week.

The team consists of anaesthetist, Dr. Alastair McCrirrick, nurses Rosie Gilbert, Lesley Fife, Oddrun Farestad, and Regina Todd, reconstructive surgeon Dr. Johnson, and administrators Oliver Lewis and Ianthia Simmons-Wade.

For many of the Ecuadorian patients the new chairman of the Road Safety Council has been their doctor from the very start.

?This is my tenth year doing this, so I have been the doctor for many children since they were babies and now they are older and some are even adults.

?So they look forward to seeing us and we look forward to seeing them, but most of all, what we look for is to offer them the continuity of care. Some have cleft lip and pallet, burns up the arms and faces require multiple interventions. Ecuador is one of the poorest countries in South America and these are people who would otherwise not have the surgery ? so they need us to be consistent. It is always exciting for us and we get so much out of it too.?

The Rotarians of Ecuador are supporting them again this year

?They are really old friends to me, they are like family and there are lots of things that we look forward to,? he said. ?Obviously doing the surgery and interacting with the patients, but the personal rewards are really difficult to define in words ? it is really quite extraordinary.

?Also working with our counterparts, other plastic surgeons and nurses there locally. The business people that host us pay a substantial amount for it and it is a considerable amount to fly a whole hospital, doctors, nurses and administrators down to carry this off.?

Project Change Bermuda is now a registered charity and they need additional supplies. ?Money is always welcomed, but we take blankets, toys, diapers,? said Dr. Johnson, ?And teddy bears are great to give to the kids, clothes for children, because sometimes they come in with not very much and we need to keep them warm.

?It is just about everything that you can imagine ? we take infant formula, toys and money are our biggest needs.

?Last year, I believe it was the Permanent Security Robert Horton who went to one of the pharmacies and bought all of the paediatric Tylenol and Pediaprofen and that came in very, very handy. We would readily accept it as long as it is not out dated or opened.?

?It is a large team and the hospital (King Edward VII Memorial Hospital) has been extremely supportive towards us,? said the reconstructive surgeon. ?And the Elan Clinic is making a significant contribution to the whole effort by letting me go.

?So, it is really like a community effort. We have had contributions from the Ministry of Communications with two way walkie-talkies so that we can stay in close contact with each other in the hospital. We have had quite a lot of support, but we could use a lot more.?

Summerhave administrator Ianthia Simmons-Wade added that so many people helped last year and they wanted to take this opportunity to thank them. But this year people have been calling asking when they were going and what they could do.

?Last year so many people answered our call and this year in the true spirit of Bermuda both local and foreigners have called to inquire about what they could do to help,? she said.

?So far we have received toys, clothes and other things and I am packing it all and boxing it up. We are a very giving community and we want to express our appreciation for the people who helped last year and this year so far. Also last year American Airlines allowed us to carry all 27 boxes with no extra charge. We have to take all the medical supplies, so things cannot afford to get lost or be late. American Airlines are supporting us again this year and it is a significant contribution.?

The Project Change Bermuda team leave the Island on Saturday and return on February 12.

If you would like to help or for more information please ( Ianthia Simmons-Wade on 535-2388.