In February 2020, Dr. Tyler Ellis (PGY-3 resident) and Dr. Sumit Gupta (pediatric orthopaedic surgeon) traveled to Mangalore, India. This is the second year in a row Mizzou has participated in the Bal Shalyakriya (Surgery for Children) Mission Week at KMC Hospital-Attavar.
A multidisciplinary team of surgeons and their support staff provided a wide array of general surgery, ophthalmologic, urologic and orthopedic services to local children in need. With provisions from Peedh Parai International, an international pediatric surgery charitable organization, these teams were able to provide the care completely free of charge.
The Mizzou Ortho team rounded and operated daily with KMC Orthopedic residents and fellows. In 5 days of operating, 15 children underwent various orthopedic procedures, often multiple site and bilateral. The cases focused largely on limb deformity correction. A complex variety of cases were seen, including neglected/recurrent club foot, cerebral palsy limb deformities, hip dysplasia, post-traumatic/ post-infectious arthritis and other rare musculoskeletal genetic disorders. Additionally, another 60 children were seen for clinic visits and either received non-surgical treatment plans or had provisions placed for future surgery during next year’s mission. Dr. Gupta also gave a lecture on “Management of Pediatric Elbow Injuries” during his time there. Toward the end of the mission, the Mizzou team purchased toys for the entire pediatric ward which brought many smiles and joy to the children.
For Dr. Ellis, the most memorable parts of the mission was “the overwhelming outpouring of genuine appreciation from the families upon learning someone is willing to offer their child surgery free of charge. Many of these patients do not have access to healthcare. Being able to treat and correct limb issues that are hindering to the school aged child, problems which would be cured in infancy here in America, I found to be extremely rewarding. The impact our team had in Mangalore during this mission, reminded me why I became a physician in the first place.” Dr. Ellis highlighted the importance of the growing collaboration with the local resident and attending surgeons at KMC. “I was very impressed with the KMC orthopedic residents, we had a fantastic time operating together, sharing cases and techniques. I’ve decided, bone doctors are, in essence, the same around the globe. I’ve made some lifelong friends and colleagues and plan to stay in touch with many of these amazing people.”
Dr. Ellis would like to thank Dr. Barry Gainor for contributions toward resident travel from the Gainor Endowment Fund. “Participation in this life-changing experience would not have been possible without Dr. Gainor. His passion for philanthropic endeavors and surgical missions is something we all ought to strive to achieve in our careers. Due to Dr. Gainor and Dr. Gupta, Mizzou Orthopedic residents now have a burgeoning relationship with another training program on the other side of the world. The value of this opportunity cannot be overstated, and I believe it elevates our program over many programs which do not offer this kind of experience. I could not recommend this mission week more highly to others and hope that our institution continues to expand its humanitarian footprint in the years ahead!”
