by AfS Photographer Linda Hart

Sofiat is a bright, bubbly 5 year old girl.  She enchanted the team, arriving in a bright blue dress with colored frills around the bottom and beautifully braided hair.

Her personality matched her dress; she was bright and engaging with the team as she had her assessment.  Today was the day for Sofiat’s palate repair.

She was calm when she arrived in the OR and not at all frightened – quite an accomplishment for a 5 year old.

Part of the emphasis on this mission is teaching our local medical partners, helping them expand their knowledge and skill set.  This was the situation with Sofiat’s case.  AfS’s Dr. Eric Helling took the lead with assistance from two of the local surgeons, Drs. Temikalajah and Omosebi.

Once Sofiat was transferred to recovery, Dr. Eric spent time explaining to her mother what had occurred during the surgery and how they would need to modify her diet for several weeks.  The diet needed to avoid anything that would get stuck in her stitches and would initially be liquid only and then soft food.  After the stitches dissolved, she would be back to her normal diet.

After palate repair, the correct diet ensures that patients get the greatest benefit from their surgery.

Thank you to the Rotary Club of Venice-Nokomis and District 9112 for making this mission possible!