Team Leader: Dr. Paul Schultz, M.D.
Team Type: Ophthalmology
Campaign Summary: 161 patients were seen and 31 surgeries were completed.
Supporters:
Alcon Laboratories — Fort Worth, Texas
Allergan USA, Inc. — Lewisville, Texas
Dr. Paul Schultz, M.D. — Medford, Oregon
Team Members:
Char Cooke, Technician/Translator
Margaret Lamson, Surgical Assistant
Justin Schultz, Assistant
Dr. Paul Schultz, M.D., Ophthalmologist
Sabra Scotton, Assistant
The small, but mighty, “Team Schultz” evaluated 161 patients (322 eyes) with only one doctor and 4 volunteers (including Dr. Schultz’s son, Justin). Dr. Schultz performed 31 surgeries – cataracts, pterygiums and strabismus. (You can see the cataract removed from one of the patients on the 4 inch by 4 inch gauze pad.) He examined all 161 Peruvians and treated, or triaged for the next campaign if patients only needed glasses.
Two completely blind boys with Down’s Syndrome and juvenile cataracts (one is pictures on his mother’s lap and the other is pictured at the top of the stairs during triage day) were operated on with the help of a Peruvian Anesthesiologist. They entered the Clinic terrified and unable to perceive anything but light and dark.
It was so incredible for our team to witness their joy of sight the day after cataract surgery! Post-op they were hugging everyone, amazed they could see! They jumped into the exam chair, grabbed the slit lamp handle, and pulled it forward. We all laughed and cried together and received huge hugs around the Clinic from these loving, happy, little boys! We hope to give them a second seeing eye on our next trip in 2011.
Dr. Schultz was able to perform strabismus surgery to correct severely crossed eyes for two sincerely grateful adult men. (One man is a retired school teacher and the other still works). This was another post-op morning, laced with huge smiles, as we removed the patch and they looked into a mirror. Dr. Schultz dramatically improved their appearance and self image.
Once again, Guido and Sandy Del Prado, along with the genuinely caring staff of the Kausay Wasi Clinic, supported our campaign for sight with tons of energy and giant hearts for the people of Peru! Each day new groups of patients, waiting to be seen by Dr. Schultz, were like having benches of “cheerleaders”! They’d help translate, kept track of dilation drops and made sure each person got their turn with the doctor! Our team experienced an extremely rewarding, successful medical mission trip to Coya, Peru. The team is pictured on their day off at Machu Picchu.