CHOP Provides Surgical Care to Children in Honduras

In November 2016, surgical teams from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Iowa traveled to Siguatepeque, Honduras, for a surgical mission trip. More than 20 hand surgeries were performed during the team’s week-long stay, with cases ranging from simple procedures to complex reconstructions.

The CHOP team included nurses Michelle Friday, RN, BSN, CNOR, and Lynn Gregorowicz, RN; occupational therapist Meagan Pehnke, MS, OTR/L, CLT; nurse anesthetist Laura Covalli, MSN, CRNA; and orthopedic surgeon Apurva Shah, MD, MBA.

Our experts worked to bring the same high-quality treatment patients receive at CHOP to children in Honduras, and were sure to go the extra mile to make the experience positive for every child. In the preoperative area, each patient received a handmade donated blanket brought from the United States, a stuffed animal, and an activity pack containing crayons, stickers and toys. The blankets were taken into the operating room with the child to keep them warm during their surgery.

Dr. Shah was generously sponsored by the Touching Hands Project, whose mission is to create opportunities for hand specialists to provide their knowledge and expertise to the global community. He is a member of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH).