Dr. Bents (second from left) with (r. to l) Lamar McEntire, Anna-Marie Green, and Barb Potts with members of the Chinese medical team with a patient. Upon greeting me at the airport as I returned from the medical mission to China, my 3-year-old son asked “Why were you in China?” I answered simply, “To help some sick kids.” In an attempt to keep my response simple for my son, I essentially summarized what the entire team felt as we returned from this successful project. And no matter what each team member’s motivation for joining the team was initially, our sense of accomplishment united us by the completion of the journey. I feel quite fortunate to have been asked to join the Medical Team. For just as we assisted many children and health care providers, we were greatly rewarded as well. We were exposed to a new culture and society, received a great deal of insight into Chinese customs and traditions, met fantastic colleagues and caretakers, and were privileged to work with very deserving children. I learned innovative techniques from other surgeons while working in relatively primitive conditions by American standards. As we operated side-by-side, I found that even with difficult language barriers we were able to cooperate and exchange ideas on how to best correct the children’s deformities. Several memories stand out from the trip. First and foremost were the children. The hospital wards were crowded and austere; the children always seemed in good spirits. There were no TVs, fancy toys, or play sets, but they would entertain themselves. After surgery, they were fortunate to have Big Lamar and other team members to play with. I was particularly drawn to Hong Yuan Lan, a 2-year-old born with an extra thumb. Not only did she look strikingly similar to my own daughter, but also she remained cheerful and playful before and after the operation. During our first evening in the hospital there was a blackout. The interesting part was that among hundreds of children there was no crying or panic, even among the 1- and 2-year-olds. I could only imagine the chaos there would be in an American hospital as parents and children scurried around in the dark. I truly feel blessed to be able to have been a member of this team. It has given me a great appreciation for things we sometimes take for granted. We formed some great relationships among our team, and with our Chinese counterparts. It is my hope that the medical exchange we began will become an ongoing tradition with long-lasting effects for many children. |
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