LEAP just completed our most recent mission trip to Orangewalk, Belize. Believe it or not this was our 12th year to work in the country of Belize. Over a weekend operating schedule we were able to perform 45 surgeries for cleft lip, cleft palate, hand and eye surgeries. In addition LEAP ocularists Randy & John Trawnik were able to make 10 prosthetic eyes. Please go to our photographer Heather Thorne's web site to see the transformations that took place.

To view the slideshow please click the picture or the link above then click the galleries link and the special projects link.  This will open the slideshow.

Special thanks to Heather Thorne for the pictures and slideshow.

The Laos Journey - July 2007

The LEAP Foundation has just returned from our 2nd successful mission trip to the country of Laos. Laos is officially known as Lao People’s Democratic Republic, a landlocked country located in the heart of the Indochina peninsula. Laos has been a communist country since 1975 but liberalized its economy in 1986. LEAP was granted permission by the Laos government and the Ministry of Health to work for the second year in a row at the Mittaphab Hospital.

The difficulties that a traveling hospital face are many, but when we travel to Laos they really prove to be a challenge. The team travels on three different commercial airlines and makes stops in four different countries to get to our destination. Once we arrived in Laos after three days of travel we were immediately up and running.

Dr. Craig Hobar, Medical Director and founder of LEAP and Dr. Amanda Gosman headed up the cranio-facial plastic surgery team while Dr. Doug Sinn (oral/maxillofacial surgeon) was joined by Dr. Wichit Tharanon and Dr. Sittichai Tantipasawasin practicing surgeons in Thailand. Dr. Clanton Harrison (pediatric urologist) rounded out the surgical teams.

The entire team of 28 was able to provide surgical services for 67 people in a 4 ½ day operating schedule. When we arrived at the hospital there were over 100 patients waiting to see the Dr’s with an additional 100 waiting in the wings.

In addition to our surgical schedule the LEAP Dr’s hosted and lectured each morning to over 50 physicians coming from all over the country.

The first year that LEAP worked in Laos the people were a bit tentative but this year we seem to be gaining the trust of the people. Due to word of mouth and the hospital working with local physicians and clinics the patients that came to see us had more than tripled.

LEAP hopes to return to Laos in 2009 after having a busy schedule planned in 2008 to India, Belize and Zimbabwe.