Spring 2010

In This Issue

The Twins

Exempla

Healthcare

New Board

Members

How you can

help?

www.upliftinernationale.org

Split Outcome Overcome with “Can Do” Attitude - Dr. Steve Krebs

Operation Taghoy got off to an early start this year in Roxas City with screening occurring on the afternoon of Sunday, January 24th which, in retrospect, was the first step in many fortuitous events enabling the team to complete a record num-ber of cases over two weeks. One of the most heartwarming stories was that of twins Eliza Nichole and Ashley Kate Buyo. The Buyo twins, each born with a cleft lip, came to Roxas Memorial Provincial Hospital from a one hour drive away with their mother & grandmother. Like any mother, the twins’ mother wanted her daughters to grow up healthy, happy, and to have the same op-portunities as any other child. Although she reported that the girls were accepted by their peers, she wor-ried that their deformities might stunt their future goals. The Operation Taghoy screening process is designed to eliminate patient candi-dates with health problems where general anesthesia and surgery could be a risk. The teams’ exemplary safety record owes much to this stringent process. All po-tential cases must pass each of the disciplines to be accepted. Hectic is an under-statement for the screening process, and in a tiny room, the multidisciplinary team screened nearly 75 children the first day. Through the screening process, it was determined that one of the twins, Ashley Kate, was medically disqualified for sur-gery, and one, Eliza, was healthy and good to go. In the mass of children, nurses, and staff both Buyo girls outwardly looked healthy, energetic, and happy. Eliza Nichole passed no problem and was scheduled for sur-gery. Ashley Kate, with a history of asthma (that the family honestly could not af-

ford to medicate) was actively wheezing and found to be having trouble breathing and with a faster than normal heart rate. Unhappily Susan Larson MD, Head of Mission on the trip, had no choice but to disqualify her. Rather than become angry or hurt, the entire Buyo family rejoiced that one of the daughters was accepted. Remaining positive even Ashley Kate was excited for her sister.

Eliza’s surgery was a huge success on the 26th, yet amid the happy post operative picture taking session just prior to discharge, everyone on the medical team was again filled with empathy for the “unfixed & unlucky” twin. As the family prepared to leave a plan was hatched: What if Ashley’s asthma could be adequately treated in the next 7 days? Could she be one of the last cases done in Pototan? With very little time the entire team went to work as the cases rolled on in Roxas. Twins Story Continues of Page 2 Eliza After Surgery

Eliza Before Surgery

Eliza and Ashley Kate on

Screening Day

Page 2 Uplift Internationale

www.upliftinernationale.org

Exempla Healthcare Employees Complete Another Mission!

January 21- February 6, 2010, eight Exempla employees from Saint Joseph’s, Lutheran and Good Sa-maritan Hospitals joined other Uplift Internationale volunteers from around the world in Roxas and Pototan, Philippines. We assisted 124 children with cleft palate and cleft lip deformities in screening, pre and post op, OR and outreach. Uplift and Exempla’s working partnership afforded us an amazing opportunity. Exempla’s Mission Statement is to foster health and healing for the people and communities we serve. We experienced a chance to live, embrace, and embody our own personal mission as well as represent Exempla. On this trip we renewed our energy and vows as healthcare workers. It is hard not to be changed forever once a person assists in such a worthy cause. The smiles and hugs of gratitude that abound from the families and children make for an experience that one wants to do again and again.

Twins Story Continued from Page 1 There were a lot of hurdles to clear in the process of securing a spot for Asheley Kate on the surgical schedule for week 2 in Poto-tan. Treating asthma in a child can be a challenge, particularly with a language barrier and a lack of necessary funds for medica-tions. Fortunately the hospital’s Head Nurse donated her time and seemingly endless patience to both verbally (and in written form) translate the very detailed instructions. Much to our good fortune, a new nebulizer device and its medications were available in a local pharmacy. The entire PACU staff pitched in and over $150.00 was raised to purchase the device and needed medica-tions. By the morning of January 28th Eliza was ready for dis-charge, and Ashley had begun treatment for her asthma. With the joint efforts of Rotary Club of Roxas and Rotary Club of

Central Iloilo City, as well as generous financial donations from mission volunteers, arrange-ments ,were made for Ashley Kate to have surgery in Pototan. The family found access to a car, and travel funds were donated by Operation Taghoy team members.

The 1st half of the mission finished Friday Jan 29th and some of

us headed home filled with hope that things would work out.

The Buyos followed the instructions entirely, and Ashley re-

sponded perfectly. The Pototan mission team held its collective

breath during screening at the Iloilo Provincial Hospital in Po-

totan Feb 1st, knowing that Dr Sue had to be completely objec-

tive. Ashley indeed passed and went on to follow her sister’s

trip to the OR on Wednesday the 3rd. All the Buyos had a dou-

ble reason to smile on the 4th at discharge. It just hurt a bit

more for Ashley than anyone else! Ashley now wants to grow

up and become a nurse; Eliza has decided to be a doctor.

Regardless both were internally, and now are externally, guapa! The Twins 2 months after the surgeries

Dr. Krebs giving Mom instructions to

get Ashley well enough for surgery

Page 3 Spring 2010

www.upliftinernationale.org

Meet some of our new Board Members

Barry Hudson Barry started his career as a general practitioner in Wheat Ridge in 1974, and focused on governmental and utility representation. . He eventually became manager of the Wheat Ridge Water District. Barry committed over ten years as one of the directors of the Legal Services for the Poor committee of the Jefferson County Bar. Prior to its merger with the West Metro Chamber, he was a long term director and President of the Wheat

Ridge Chamber of Commerce. Barry has served on the boards of directors of two local churches and been an active youth leader focusing on junior and senior high children. He continues to represent utilities and special districts and also serves as the Suburban Provider Representative on the Citizens Advisory Committee of the Denver Water Board. Barry was president of the Wheat Ridge Rotary in 2009 and continues to serve on its Board of Directors. Married to Christine Hudson and together raised four children between them. Barry joined the Board because he enjoys working with people with different backgrounds who come together for common worthy goals. Uplift Internationale has such goals and interesting people, and he hopes he can provide a different perspective on some of the issues the board faces. It is his hope that the organization can clearly focus on common goals and maximize it resources towards providing focused medical care in the Philippines.

Steve Krebs, MD Raised in Wheat Ridge, Colorado as the middle of 3 kids to a physician. Went to Colorado State University where he received a degree in biology in 1985. While at CSU became deeply involved in the study of military history with specific in-terest in guerilla warfare in the Philippine Islands. Subsequently attended East-ern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Virginia followed by Internal Medi-cine Residency at St Joseph Hospital in Denver. After an extra year as chief resident entered private practice as part of Wheat Ridge Internal Medicine. Steve is married with 3 daughters (Courtney, Meaghan, & Hayley). He enjoys distance running and thus far has completed 56 marathons. Currently serves as Chairman of the Board for Physician Health Partners, the CEO of Correctional

Health Partners, the senior partner at WRIM and a member of the Exempla Lutheran Medical Center Foundation Board. Steve has a love for helping kids and working with them. He has always wanted to visit the Philip-pines and recently was a volunteer for the 2010 Mission team to Roxas. Over the year he has grown great respect for Jaime and the work he had accomplished in the Philippines. Steve’s hope is to help Uplift Internationale to exceed the following goals: helping the children of the Philippines with cleft lip and palate, help the organization transition to become a year round resource for the children of the Philippines, promote better relationships between the cultures and ensure that those who participate in missions have such an uplifting experience the long hours and hard work in-volved are not even noticeable

P.O. Box 181658 Denver, CO 80218

303-707-1361 info@upliftinternationale.org

Ball point pens

File Folders - 8.5 x 11

standard file

2-prong Folders for

the mission patient

files

8.5 x 11 lamination

sheets

Extra small kids toys

Crayons

Laptop for the

Mission

Dental Forceps

Impression trays

Toothbrush

Toothpaste

Reams of Paper

Markers

LCD Projector

UI Wish List

We are always in need of certain items to make

our Missions much more successful. If you have any of the below items that you are

willing to donate, please

contact us at 303-707-1361

Board Directors

Jaime Yrastorza, D.M.D.

President & Founder

Jack Dahl, M.D.

Marc Frank, CPA, MBA

Barry Hudson

Steve Krebs, MD

Barbara Moyer, D.D.S.

Dick Newman

James Niquette

Theresa Snelling, M.A.

Kay Taylor

Uplift Internationale has joined the

Social Media World

Want to learn more about what is

going on with Uplift Internationale?

Visit our blog, find us on Facebook

or follow us on Twitter. Learn about what is going

on with our mission, volunteers and some of the

children we impacted in the Philippines.

Get notices about events and

additional opportunities.

Visit www.upliftinternationale.org

to learn more.

We are currently accepting application

for the 2011 Mission.

Please visit www.upliftinternationale.org

and click on Volunteers or

call 303-707-1361.

Join the Adopt-A-Child Level

Online

Make a gift online with a credit card or electronic check at www.givingfirst.org/upliftinternationale

Mail

Make checks payable to Uplift Internationale and mail to:

P.O. Box 181658 Denver, CO 80218

Enclose your name, address, phone and e-mail

Phone

Contact us directly at (303) 707-1361

How To Give

For just $250 you can subsidize an operative procedure for one child and

change their life forever.

Before Surgery After Surgery 1 year later