SOS supplies over 100 medical mission teams every year and some of the resulting stories amaze us! Last month, we supplied Dr. Carl Kihm, a podiatric surgeon from Norton Healthcare with supplies for his yearly trip to Guatemala. Working in the local children’s hospital he performed dozens of corrective surgeries to the feet and ankles of children.
Dr. Kihm says “The physical transformation not only gives them less pain and increased function, but it allows them to be normal kids – improving their functional deformities improves them psychologically, socially and culturally.”
Correcting issues such as clubfoot early in life is vital to ensure a happy and productive life. Dr. Kihm works with newborns as young as 7 days old to begin corrective surgery. He told us that “at this age the body’s connective tissues are adaptable and we can slowly correct and cast them in progressively better position. Unfortunately, in the progressing world it is hard for many families to travel each week to a clinic or hospital that is hours or sometimes days away from their remote village home. ‘Access to healthcare’, which we feel entitled to and take for granted, for them is a blessing they might only get once in a lifetime.”
These stories of hope are the lifeblood of our mission. If you or anyone you know at your work, church or school is taking a medical mission trip this year, send an email to admin@suppliesoverseas.org and we would be happy to provide the life-saving supplies that you need!
