HELPING AN INJURED WOMAN GET HER LIFE BACK HELPS NOT ONLY HER BUT ALSO HER CHILDREN, HER COMMUNITY.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHY WE GO. HELPING EVEN JUST ONE WOMAN TO ‘GET HER LIFE BACK’ IS ALWAYS WORTH THE JOURNEY.
- ANDREA PUSIC, MD, FACS
WHAT WE DO
OUR SURGICAL TEAMS WORK
TO RESTORE FORM AND FUNCTION TO INJURED WOMEN AND GIRLS,
TO BUILD RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY EXPERTISE THROUGH TRAINING OF LOCAL SURGEONS AND RESIDENTS,
AND TO ENCOURAGE PREVENTION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ACCIDENTAL BURNS.
SINCE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF RWI NINE YEARS AGO, OVER 4200 WOMEN AND GIRLS HAVE RECEIVED LIFE-CHANGING SURGERY AND HUNDREDS OF LOCAL SURGEONS AND SURGICAL TRAINEES HAVE BENEFITED FROM TEACHING AND MENTORSHIP.
ONE OF RWI’S KEY GOALS IS TO TEACH RECONSTRUCTIVE TECHNIQUES TO LOCAL SURGEONS AND TO BUILD SURGICAL CAPACITY IN THE AREAS WHERE WE WORK. THE PROGRAMS PROVIDE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR SURGICAL TRAINEES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SURGERIES AND DRESSING CHANGES. RWI SURGEONS AND ANESTHESIOLOGISTS ALSO GIVE LECTURES AND CONDUCT SYMPOSIA ON RELEVANT TOPICS. TO FACILITATE MENTORSHIP AND ADVANCED TRAINING, WE MAINTAIN LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR INTERNATIONAL COLLEAGUES.
WHO WE SERVE
MOST PATIENTS TREATED BY RWI SURGEONS HAVE SUFFERED BURNS, FROM EITHER ACCIDENTS OR ASSAULT. WOMEN WHO SURVIVE SUCH INJURIES MAY BE LEFT HORRIBLY DISFIGURED BY CONTRACTED SCARS; THEY MAY BE UNABLE TO USE THEIR HANDS, EXTEND THEIR ARMS OR EVEN RAISE THEIR HEAD FROM THEIR CHEST. SOME CAN BARELY WALK, FEED THEMSELVES OR PERFORM BASIC HYGIENE WITHOUT ASSISTANCE.
THE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS TO HELP SUCH WOMEN REGAIN THEIR LIVES AND PLACE IN SOCIETY
WHERE WE WORK
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OUR SURGICAL TEAMS ROUTINELY WORK IN INDIA, BANGLADESH, PAKISTAN, EAST AFRICA & HAITI.
IN EACH OF THE COUNTRIES THE OBSTACLES & OPPORTUNITIES ARE DIFFERENT.
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IN BANGLADESH , WHERE ANNUAL FLOODING IN REMOTE AREAS WOULD DESTROY TRADITIONAL HOSPITAL BUILDINGS, OUR TEAMS WORK ON FLOATING HOSPITAL BOATS.
IN INDIA & PAKISTAN , WHERE 'IN LAW BURNS' REMAIN COMMON, OUR TEAMS LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE PREVALENCE OF THIS PROBLEM THROUGH PRESS CONFERENCES AND SOCIAL MEDIA.
IN EAST AFRICA , WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH THE AGA KHAN ORGANIZATION AND ARE ABLE TO OFFER SURGERY TO THE NEEDIEST OF PATIENTS, WHILE ALSO TEACHING AND TRAINING LOCAL SURGEONS.
IN HAITI, WE HAVE RECENTLY BEGUN TO OFFER RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY TO BREAST CANCER PATIENTS WHO HAVE HAD MASTECTOMIES.
