Fresh Start is hosting a Surgery Weekend this weekend, January 14th and 15th, where over 60 medical volunteers will provide 8 children and teens with reconstructive surgery, 9 children with laser treatments, 7 children with speech therapy services, and countless other children and teens will receive consultations and follow-ups. Many of the patients Fresh Start will be treating this weekend come from the local San Diego community, as well as from throughout the world. Gladys is just one of the many children and teens who will be receiving free medical care this weekend thanks to our committed volunteers and generous donors and supporters:
Gladys in 2006
Gladys was born healthy in Ecuador but still faced many difficulties from a very young age – Gladys’ mother abandoned her to protect her from an abusive father and because she was too poor to take care of her. Although Gladys would occasionally see her mother, she lived in a local orphanage throughout her childhood – life became even more difficult for Gladys when one day, when she was still a young girl, she noticed a red spot on her face.
The red spot eventually led to atrophy on the right side of her face – Gladys suffers from Romberg’s Disease, a rare disorder where half of the face slowly deteriorates and, usually in the early teens, subsides. Now that Gladys’ atrophy has halted, Fresh Start has provided Gladys with reconstructive surgeries to help reconstruct the atrophied portion of her face. Gladys, who began receiving treatment from Fresh Start at 16, is very sensitive about her appearance and was desperately seeking a treatment for her condition when she was referred to Fresh Start.
At this Saturday’s Surgery Weekend, January 14th, Gladys will receive fat grafting into the right side of her face to help reverse the affects of the atrophy – this will be Gladys’ most extensive reconstructive surgery to date. You can help fund Gladys’ reconstructive surgery by making a donation towards Fresh Start…even a small donation can make a huge difference for a child in need! Please consider supporting children and teens just like Gladys who have nowhere else left to turn to receive the medical care they so desperately need!
