​THE WORLD OF R.E.S.T.O.R.E.
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History

​​Over the past five years, my participation with R.E.S.T.O.R.E. has cost me over $100,000 including indirect costs such as lost wages.  Prior to the formation of R.E.S.T.O.R.E.,  I visited Ghana in 2008 and 2009 to aid patients and evaluate the healthcare infrastructure. Much of my time spent was looking into logistics and laying the groundwork for subsequent visits.  
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In 2008, I taught as well as lectured local surgeons, residents, students and allied healthcare personnel in the Department of Surgery on acute burn injuries, burn reconstruction and traumatic hand injuries. Additionally, I performed skin graft surgeries for burn victims and evaluated over 50 patients with congenital deformities such as cleft palate, duplicated thumbs and congenital deformities of the breast.

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​Restoring Hope

​​In 2009, I focused on breast cancer and breast deformities after reading an article on breast cancer in Ghanaian women, which cited a mortality rate of 17-24%. Most of these women would rather die of the disease than lose a husband or boyfriend who will never view them as “whole” if they underwent a mastectomy without reconstruction. In a monumental feat, I performed the region’s first immediate breast reconstruction using abdominal tissue, following a mastectomy on a nurse who had been diagnosed with breast cancer the previous year. She had refused to undergo a mastectomy without reconstruction because of the fear of losing her husband and never being a “whole” woman again. I taught two local plastic surgeons how to perform this operation.

In addition, I gave lectures on breast anatomy, breast cancer and reconstruction, and performed 15 major operations including: (1) congenital nasal reconstruction, (2) correction of congenital asymmetric breast deformities, and multiple breast deformities, (3) immediate breast reconstruction for breast cancer, (4) breast reduction surgery, (5) excision of accessory (multiple) breasts, (6) correction of congenital hand deformities, (7) excision and complex repair of non-healing mastectomy wounds. I evaluated over 75 patients and spoke on a local radio station, educating women about the myths of breast cancer.

​In 2010, R.E.S.T.O.R.E. made its first official mission trip to Ghana to once again R.E.S.T.O.R.E. hope, function and aesthetic form under my direction. The team consisted of myself, a certified nurse anesthetist, an operating room nurse, a recovery nurse, a surgical tech and an educator/helper. Later that year in August, R.E.S.T.O.R.E. partnered with Mission of Love Foundation to provide care to children in Guatemala with cleft lip and palate.

FUTURE MISSIONS

​Future missions will include trips to Gabon, Columbia, El Salvador, Burma and Vietnam. All volunteers who participate in RESTORE’s mission do so at their own will without compensation. But there are still costs to provide medical and surgical supplies, to transport the team and to provide lodging. I humbly ask for your support in the form of monetary gifts and wills to help RESTORE in accomplishing its missions of helping unfortunate ones with disfiguring deformities and educating local healthcare personnel.

Your philanthropic monetary gift and/or endorsement will make our outreach work possible. As we continue our mission around the globe and continue to grow, your support will help establish a solid home office with a full time employee who can run the day-to-day activities and coordinate our volunteer efforts as well as coordinate the countries around the globe that we plan to do our mission trips and relieve me from the administrative duties to allow me to concentrate on delivering quality care to my patients.