Guayaquil, Ecuador

A mix of beautiful
landscape and hardworking, warm Ecuadorians has made the last couple of weeks
in Ecuador truly rewarding.  I was fortunate enough to visit León Becerra
de Guayaquil Children’s Hospital with Wills Eye’s own Richard Tipperman, MD, and
members of the Healing the Children, New Jersey medical team.  What a
fantastic group!  We operated on numerous children suffering from
cataracts and congenital blepharoptosis.  We also treated countless adults
with advanced cataracts.  Long hours in the OR and difficult surgical
cases were no match for the smiles, hugs, and incredibly warm reception we
received from our patients, their families, and the fantastic children’s
hospital.  Despite this being my first trip as a global ophthalmologist,
one thing became strikingly evident- regardless of where you happen to be
living on map, our similarities are the essence of what ties us all
together.  Love for family, desire to live in safety, and the pursuit of
happiness is something that we all share.  It is not unique to one place
or to one people.  It has solidified my dedication to improving the lives
of people everywhere and will surely make me a better physician when I return
home.