One of the joys of the Iowa Miles of Smiles Team mission is that we develop long-term relationships with so many kids and their families. One of these is John, who returned on screening day for the 5th or 6th time.
As with many kids with cleft palate, John has had multiple surgeries through Iowa MOST. This is because the repair is a process which often involves the lip, the palate, the teeth, the ears and the nose. In the United States where access to medical care is good, many kids have these procedures done before the age of 5 or 6; in Guatemala where access is difficult or non-existent, it may take a much longer time and that’s why the Iowa MOST team even sees cases of adults needing treatment, such as a 48-year-old man on this mission trip who was treated for cleft lip.
There is a great deal of trust built between our team and the families we serve, and we are committed to making the lives of these kids and their families better by delivering safe and high-quality medical care—and we treat these kids as if they were our own. It’s also a testament to the quality of care and the strength of our relationships that some families choose to wait for the Iowa MOST team mission in order to continue the care they are receiving, even if they had the opportunity to get treated elsewhere.
So John and his parents were back to seek additional care for John’s continuing treatment. John had grown into a handsome young man since we saw him three year ago. We were struck by two different conversations while John was with us:
– First, when meeting with he surgeon, Dr. Brian Andrews, John’s dad told Dr. Andrews that he thought that John needed corrective surgery for his nose. Dr. Andrews examined John’s nose and was trying to understand what John and the family felt was an issue. John’s dad said he thought John’s nose was a little bit crooked, and Dr. Andrews remarked that he thought John’s nose looked just like his dad’s. When this was translated, John’s mom burst out laughing and agreed that John’s nose does look just like his dad’s – and everyone laughed and agreed.
– Second, when Juan Francisco Fernandez was talking with John and his mom and dad about what John was doing, it became obvious that John’s parents were very proud of John continuing with his education. It’s not always possible for families to keep their kids in school into high school and beyond, but John is in high school and doing well in school. In fact, his dad said that because of John’s own personal experience, his dream is to be a doctor. No matter what John decides to do, we celebrate that John has the opportunity to learn and grow and thrive!
On the last day at the hospital, John’s parents – who run a restaurant about an hour away – brought the team a delicious homemade lunch of rellenitos as a way to say thank you to the team. While we loved this amazing food, the best thank you is seeing the beautiful smiles of this family we have grown close to over the past 10 years.
