“OPERATION WE CARE” - A Joint Project with RIDs 6690 & 7630, USA
PP Boboy Campos, GML Assistant Editor-In-Chief

    “Operation We Care” is an annual free surgical mission of volunteer Rotarians from Districts 6690 and 7630, USA. Indigents who could not avail of major and minor operations due to financial constraints were the beneficiaries of this endeavor. Some of the cases being addressed by this program are the following: major operations of the ovary, uterus, cervix, gall bladder, kidney, hemorrhoids, prostate, goiter, hernia, etc. and minor operations include removal of “cysts” in the breasts and other external parts of the body. Every year, Districts 6690 and 7630, in partnership with their counterpart districts work together to carry out projects of this nature.

    This year’s mission was done again in our district as a result of the invitation by IPDG Rudy San Felipe. On December 29, 2010, IPDG Rudy together with PP Alfred Lo of RC Marikina Hilltop and PP Tony Mateo of RC Lakeshore Rizal formed the working committees that would undertake the project composed mostly of Rotarians from RCs Lakeshore Rizal as the lead club, Teresa, Morong, Cardona, Pililla Central, Tanay, Binangonan and Angono. They partnered with the Rizal Provincial Government, Tomas Claudio Memorial College, Rizal Medical Society, Eastern Rizal Medical Society and Philippine Dental Association-Rizal Chapter.

    After a series of meetings, preparation and coordination with “Operation We Care” team and co-team leaders PDG Mel Simon and PP Ralph Zaragoza of D-6690, the project was formally started with a welcome dinner on February 13, 2011 hosted by Tomas Claudio Memorial College.

    After the welcome dinner, the days from February 14 to 18, 2011 were so hectic for the volunteers who started their operations as early as 7 am until late in the evening. PP Tony Mateo did what we call “free medical mission” by himself two weeks prior and another week after the scheduled dates of the mission. Free screening including chest x-ray, urinalysis, CBC and ECG conducted by Rizal Provincial Hospital. This pre-operation requirement, courtesy of the Rizal Provincial government, cleared the way for every surgery - 114 major and 206 minor cases.

    A Continuing Medical Education called “6th Annual Dr. Neopito C. Robles Memorial Lecture: State of the Art in Surgery, Clinical and Dental” was also held at the Tomas Claudio Memorial College auditorium on February 16, 2011. This was attended by doctors from the Rizal Medical Society, Eastern Rizal Medical Society and Philippine Dental Association-Rizal Chapter and the Nursing students and faculty of Tomas Claudio Memorial College.

    The mission was capped by a farewell and recognition party hosted by RC Cardona. In recognition of their efforts, awards were given by PDG Mel Simon in behalf of The Rotary Foundation and Operation We Care Group from USA, Canada and Germany. Similarly, Rizal Governor Jun Ynares awarded certificates of appreciation to members of the Team while the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Rizal extended a Resolution of Thanks.

    It was indeed an affair to remember.