Page 34 - Cindy Salas Murphy San Diego Woman Magazine

Women of Distinction

for something that seems are selected by Dr. Aman- education, advocacy fields, Currently ConnectMed
like a straightforward birth da Gosman, President and and autism community in International works with
defect, like a cleft palate, on Co-founder of ConnectMed San Diego. “This is our way their partner sites in Tijuana,
average requires eight to International. She handpicks of helping these children who Ensenada, and Hue, Viet-
ten surgeries to correct the the surgeons and medical staff cannot get the mental health nam. They do believe that the
defect. It doesn't just involve that travel the world on their portion of the care they re- greatest impact they make
surgeries either. You need to medical missions. Not only do quire. Having the opportunity is through their Interna-
consult with an orthodontist they bring top surgeons and to communicate with others tional Scholarship Programs
because the teeth don't come support staff, but they also who are going through similar where they provide financial
in normally and you have to are preparing for the future. situations makes the children support, research support,
consult with a nutritionist “We always try to incorporate feel like they are not alone. and much-needed medical
because sometimes, they have education and training for the Not only do they have camps supplies to plastic surgeons
trouble swallowing, and you next generation of surgeons in San Diego, but they also who are practicing in low-in-
have to consult with a speech and healthcare specialists. offer virtual camps for families come countries. “One of our
therapist because they can't When we do outreach trips across the US and in Mexico. international scholars is in
speak normally. All of these we bring our best residents as Camp Cosmos offers Day Zimbabwe, and she is one of
ongoing therapies, surgeries, well, not only so that they can Camps which run four hours only three plastic surgeons
and consultations throughout have the surgical experience, twice a year and are offered for a population of over
childhood are traumatizing. but so they can enhance or in-person and virtually. They 15 million. The amount of
So ConnectMed doesn’t want grow their cultural competen- also conduct Horse Therapy patients they treat is incredi-
to wait until it becomes a cy at the same time.” Camps that are a weeklong ble. In Zimbabwe, they have
big issue, they want them These young doctors get and focus on self-confidence a disproportionate number
to get psychiatric treatment to see what it is like to practice and self-expression. Every one of facial burns, and we are
throughout the process. medicine in a small regional of these programs helps build funding and supporting her
This is only part of what hospital in Vietnam, where self-esteem and facilitates con- research looking into the
ConnectMed International they have maybe one 10th of nections and bonding among reason why there's such prev-
does. “ We try to be different the resources, that we have these children who have suf- alence of facial burns and also
from your traditional medical here. Likewise, our partner fered similar fates throughout how to best treat these burns.
mission model that fly in and doctors that we work with in their young lives. Our belief is by supporting
fly out providing medical care. Vietnam bring their residents I asked Rita what it was the people who actually have
Presently we only do work so they can be trained as well. she loved most about her job. boots on the ground, we can
in a few countries where we “They get hands-on experi- “I have to say I'm one of these have the most impact. Cur-
have a formal arrangement ence under top surgeons. By people that actually love my rently, we provide Interna-
with a local hospital or clinic doing this we are making sure job. When I was practicing tional Scholarships to doctors
and healthcare providers who that for years to come, even af- patent law, each day was very from Zimbabwe, Ethiopia,
provide follow-up care after we ter the current surgeons retire similar to the next. As the Indonesia, and Argentina.”
leave. Our work in Tijuana, and a new generation of sur- Executive Director of Con- ConnectMed Interna-
for example, is easier, since it is geons take over, ConnectMed nectMed International, I never tional is one hundred percent
close enough that we can just International will still be know what a day will bring. I reliant on donations and
go down there for a day, and providing excellent care to the can go from solving a budget grants. Click on the links
there's always a team of health- children who need us.” crisis to writing a newsletter, below for more information
care providers there who then In addition to the to working with one of our and to see how you can help
can follow up with the patients wonderful work they do scholars in Africa, all in the this amazing organization
and tell us how they're doing. internationally and locally, course of one day. At the end grow and flourish, so more
And send them to speech they provide Camp Cosmos of the day, everything that I'm children around the world
therapy or nutritionists, or if programs, their recurring doing is hopefully making can benefit from the wonder-
they don't have speech therapy psychosocial programs that some teeny tiny, positive ful work that they do every
or nutritionists where they provide positive, inclusive, and impact” day.
are located we will then use community-building events
telemedicine so they can con- and activities for children https://connectmed.org
sult with our speech therapist with craniofacial and other https://connectmed.org/relevant-resources/
and nutritionist here. This is a physical differences, and their
much more sustainable model families. There are recreational Youtube videos:
than just fly in, fly out.” as well as therapeutic com- https://youtu.be/4_rOzqGqGXc
The medical staff that ponents to these camps. They https://youtu.be/_PWb5Ypbw90
travels around the world provide access to volunteer https://youtu.be/zYHInJMwcIM
to help children in need guests from the healthcare,

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