ORH 2017 - The Last Day of Mission

Following his last operation, the plastic surgeon Jeffrey Fairley, takes a taxi directly to the International Airport in Manila to catch his flight home. On Sunday he returns to work in Abu Dhabi.

All other surgeons, nurses and helpers together with the team from ASK foundation busy themselves with their final cleanup: all equiopment has to be left in pristine condition, medications have to be sorted and counted and consumables packed away. The operating theatre must be left in it's original state prior to the mission.

Following 14 hours of daily highly concentrated work all are tired but happy and although this final effort is exhausting it is in fact the first step towards the 20th Mission in March 2018.

In a new development this year the German and New Zealand ambassadors have signalled aid and together with the ASK Foundation will be important partners in the Philippines for future missions.

Last Sunday the international team examined 78 children, of whom 13 could not come to surgery due to for eg. Respiratory infection.
65 Children were operated on successfully, with 121 complex procedures being performed. Daily ward rounds were performed, a each patient was seen the day following surgery and the nursing staff of Hospital Paranaque and the families given important tips for the patients in the days following discharge. Some oft he children beb e returning in 2018 for futher surgery.

The team thanks the staff of Hospital Paranaque for the excellent preparation for the mission.  The ASK Foundation, Partners und Sponsors such as WebHelps, who helped with the german ORH daily Website bulletin , the Diakonissenkrankenhaus Leipzig und Sana Klinikum Borna, who provided us with medication and consumables, AEROLOGIC, who flew the german team to Manila, FAIRNET, who provided team uniforms and all those who stayed at home to keep the home fires burning.

Or special thanks go to the leipzig photographer Sylke Schumann, who has been travelling to Manila for the last 10 years and writes the daily bulletins, is responsible for documentation and who in ist 20th year will publish a book concerning her experiences during previous missions.

Goodbyes are always sad but we will all be back again in 2018. Almost all meembers of the team have private contact to other members. or meet at congresses around the world. The Mission connects continents, free from religious, political or financial burdens and demonstrates how people can work together when each person  follows the same aim!