MEDICAL MISSION TRIPS
On January of 2013 Dr. De La Cruz started his medical/surgical mission trip in The Philippines at Nueva Ecija to help impoverished children with cleft lip and cleft palate. The medical mission with Operation Bayanihan had seen over 425 patients PER DAY, and we performed over 22 surgical cases PER DAY despite our limited medical/surgical supplies and one to two available anesthesiologists. They desperately needed our help.
OPERATION NUEVA ECIJA 2013
During our last mission trip in Antique, Philippines this February 2015, our medical team had seen over 3,000 patients and our surgical team performed over 300 procedures. The surgical-medical mission was a success.
OPERATION ANTIQUE FEBRUARY 2015
Help us help others. Please join us with our mission to help the impoverished children in the Philippines.
OPERATION PANGASINAN FEBRUARY 2016
He cried when I told him that we'll do his surgery. He was denied three times by multiple organizations and hospitals, including Operation Smile, due to the complexity of his case. Repairing his complex cleft lip was priceless!
Dr. De La Cruz continues to do his medical mission trips every year in the Philippines. He was recently recognized for his humanitarian work, and received the St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital "Helping Hand" Humanitarian Award this November 2016. He also recently received the "We Are One" Award in Stockholm, Sweden for his humaniatrian efforts on January 2017.
2017 Medical Mission Trip in Tacloban City, Philippines
Four Month Old Baby with Bilateral Cleft Lip. Dr. De La Cruz and his team performed his surgery during this medical mission trip on February 2017.
One of the many children who had cleft lip and palate that our surgical team operated in the Philippines during our February 2017 medical mission trip in Tacloban City.