Weber Facial Plastic Surgery supports both local and international nonprofit organizations

Weber Facial Plastic Surgery supports both local and international nonprofit organizations that exist to help those most in need. Dr. Weber volunteers with Face to Face, a nonprofit project of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons that coordinates care for those with physical limitations caused by deformities at birth, domestic violence or war. He also takes part in annual humanitarian mission trips to East Africa and Latin America during which he performs numerous cleft lip and palate repairs as well as burn scar treatments for indigent, medically isolated children and adults.

Dr. Stephen Weber, a Facial Plastic Surgeon, recently returned from a humanitarian mission to Tanzania. He traveled with Outreach International, a charity devoted to providing clean water, food, education and medical care to indigent, medically-isolated people worldwide. Dr. Weber traveled to Singida, Tanzania to provide medical and surgical care to the Tanzanian people. He joined thirty-two team members including surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses and non-medical volunteers. The team was based for two weeks at the Singida Regional Hospital. The team came prepared with supplies, medications and cutting edge surgical equipment.

Over a two week period, the team treated patients from Singida town and surrounding villages. Some patients traveled days to be seen by the team of American volunteers. While the region has a well-staffed and equipped medical center, there is no local surgical service to perform the plastic surgery, otolaryngology and gynecologic care provided by the Outreach team. The team performed 59 surgical procedures and treated over 350 children and adults in the clinic setting. Dr. Weber repaired facial cleft deformities, fixed a large number of traumatic facial injuries, revised disabling burn scars and removed numerous head and neck tumors.

The most memorable surgery for Dr. Stephen Weber was the repair of a four year old girl’s cleft lip deformity. Watching the mother look at her daughter’s repaired lip for the first time and seeing tears of joy stream down her cheeks was something he will never forget. The team was also treated to a banquet hosted by Regional Commissioner Kone following their final day of hospital work. The time spent with Dr. Kone and the hospital staff revealed the sincere appreciation that the people of Tanzania feel for the medical teams that provide life-altering and life-saving care to their people. It was truly inspirational to see first-hand the immense difference that a small, dedicated surgical team can make for so many people.

You can learn more about the trip and view photos on Facebook.

This is the fifth year that Dr. Weber has volunteered to help those most in need. He plans to return to Tanzania in the Spring of 2014 to build on the team’s previous efforts.