ISMS Operation Kids
ISMS Operation Kids is the first of the ISMS chapters, started in 2008 by Colleen Hekemian, Cindy Steele MD, Stephanie Cohen MD and Kathleen O’Hara MD. Our team is comprised of volunteer medical professionals practicing in the fields of Plastic surgery, Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery, General Pediatrics, Hematology/ Oncology and Pediatric Anesthesia as well as a complete operating and recovery room staff.
Our first mission was in Marrakech, Morocco 2008. Our first patient was a 28 day old baby boy suffering from a severe cleft lip and cleft palate, he was born weighing 6 pounds but by the time we got there he was under 3 very weak and wasting away due to his facial deformity prohibiting him from receiving nutrition. Twelve hours later after an amazing surgery done by Dr. Stephanie Cohen our patient was successfully drinking from his bottle, his life saved…….. The look and tears of joy on his mothers face solidified our commitment to helping children in need. Since then we have been able to save and change the lives of children in Peru, Egypt and Kenya.
In 2011 we expanded our team by adding Pediatricians, and Pediatric Nurse practitioners in order to create a mobile clinic. Our 2 missions to Kenya in 2011 and 2012 proved to us that a mobile clinic was in fact desperately needed. We were able to travel to remote villages and provide treatment, health screening, health education and disease prevention to over 800 patients.
It is our goal to relieve suffering and bring hope to those who feel forgotten. To share our knowledge with the local doctors, nurses and public health workers, so that they may improve their current practice. We do this with open hearts and healing hands while recognizing the value of diversity and the bonds we create by helping our fellow man.
Correcting disfigurement
ISMS Operation Kids – Kenya 2012
We rarely hear about many children suffering sever burns in the USA anymore, with all current building codes and precautions they rarely happen. Unfortunately, this is not the case for many African countries and fires still claims many lives and destroy thousands others.
