MISSION 2022: Oct 2-7, SAN SALVADOR, EL SALVADOR

Our third medical mission to El Salvador was a success! We performed 32 procedures, including six cleft lips, 11 cleft palates, 11 fistulas, two rhinoplasties, two frenectomies, and performed dental extractions on four patients. We operated on 28 patients ranging from 15 months to 53 years.

We couldn’t have succeeded without our incredible volunteers, including surgeons, anesthesiologists, surgical techs, nurses, instrument cleaners, translators, and admin. Twenty-nine volunteers from three different countries came together on this mission to provide a brighter future to El Salvadorians burdened by cleft lip, cleft palate, and other deformities.

Mission 2021: SEP 6-10, San Salvador, El Salvador

After international travel was made impossible due to the COVID 19 pandemic, Mending Faces was finally able to return to mission work in 2021 by returning to El Salvador. With a small, close-knit group of volunteers, we were able to provide 28 procedures to 25 patients. The patients carried in age from 20 months to 48 years. While the majority of our patients needed cleft lip or cleft palate repairs, we were also able to provide surgeries for burn scars and syndactyl.

In order to protect our patients, we took all of the precautions we could to prevent the spread of COVID 19. All volunteers were vaccinated. Each patient and their caretaker were tested for the virus during intake. While it is impossible to guarantee that there will be no infections, our medical team followed the highest standards.

We did not take the decision to travel lightly, international travel during a pandemic is a risk. However, after much thought and consideration, it was determined that the patient’s needs outweighed the risk. Continued delayed access to surgeries prevents these patients from having healthy and hopeful lives.

Thanks to brave volunteers (both local and from all over the world) and to our partners: SCL Health, Hospital Militar Center, and the Seventh Day Adventist Church of San Salvador!

MISSION 2019: OCT. 7-10, SAN SALVADOR, EL SALVADOR

Our first annual Medical Mission to El Salvador was a great success. 14 Mending Faces volunteers and many local nurses and doctors, restored hope and provided a brighter future to those whose lives are burdened by cleft lip, cleft palate and other deformities.

In just four days of surgeries, our team performed Surgeries on:

28 patients, 11 girls, 17 boys (39 surgical procedures)

Dental treatment included 5 dental extraction patients and 2 obturators

The youngest patient was 6 months old, and the oldest was 28 years old.