CAMTA  completed our seventeenth successful Mission in Quito! Over those 17 years, we have changed the lives of over 1165 Ecuadorians through orthopedic surgery. This year almost 100 volunteers from all over Canada changed the lives of 35 adults and 28 children with desperately needed orthopedic surgeries. Three of the adults and sixteen children had more than one surgery. 

We got a lot of attention on social media with this post! When the power to the hospital elevator failed, Family Physician Ryan Wright provided unique transportation  to the OR for an 87 year old patient.

Sylvie Bedard, the new Canadian Ambassador to Ecuador came by the hospital today to see what CAMTA is doing here in Quito. Donning scrubs, Ambassador Bedard stopped in on both surgeries that were taking place, amazed by the resources CAMTA brings to the operating rooms, including monitors, surgical equipment, prostheses and the amazing skill sets of our team.

Physiotherapists, Barb Furler, Raj Dhillon, and Vera Milligan, visited the physiotherapists at the “Centro Medico Tierra Nueva”. The group discussed treatment of patients post op, and how the treatment differs between Ecuador and Canada.

When Dustin Rendon came to CAMTA with a club foot 17 years ago, Dr. Marc Moreau performed surgery on the young boy. Today Dustin and his twin brother, Damon, volunteer with CAMTA as translators for the team.

CAMTA hosted the 5th Annual Orthopedic Meeting. There, CAMTA physicians presented on a variety of topics to the Orthopedic Surgery residents from the hospital.

Dr. Wesner started off presenting about non-surgical management of Osteoarthritis.

She was followed by Dr. Secretan, who spoke about the life of a Rural Orthopod. His very interactive case-based presentation was extremely well received by the local residents, who were eager to engage in discussion about challenging hip replacements.

Next, Dr. Stampe spoke about scoliosis and its management. This included a lot of new information on operations beyond what CAMTA does during their missions, as well as beyond what is normally done in Ecuador for children with scoliosis. As a result, the residents had a lot of interesting questions!

Dr.  Wesner also spearheaded a project to expand CAMTA’s work beyond the OR and work towards improved non-surgical community management of orthopedic conditions. With the help of physiotherapist Joanne Montgomery and translator Marita Echaiz-Eguren, Dr. Wesner gave a presentation to 35 patients and community health nurses at the hospital about non-surgical management of Osteoarthritis (OA).

NameRole
Alastair HodgsonLay Person
Alessandra GessnerPhysician – Family Practice
Alicia KerriganResident – Orthopedics
Aline Pourbaix YoungAdministration
Alyssa WilkieRN – Operating Room – Pediatric
Amanda HeikelRN – Operating Room – Adult
Amy WilkieLay Person
Andres TeniasTranslator
Angela NeufeldPhysician – Anesthesiologist – Adult
April Zhiwei GuRN – Ward – Adult
Ashlee DobbePhysician – Orthopedic Surgeon – Pediatric
Ashley BenoitRN – Operating Room – Adult
Barb MoreauAdministration
Barbara-Lynne FurlerPhysiotherapist
Beverly RunkaRN – Recovery Room – Pediatric
Bonnie CluneyLay Person
Brenda WrightRN – Ward – Adult
Caitlin MarchakStudent – Medical
Charles SecretanPhysician – Orthopedic Surgeon – Adult
Charles BouchardResident – Orthopedics
Cheryl HoltRN – Operating Room – Adult
Christa HoeflingLay Person
Christina PaquinRN – Recovery Room – Pediatric
Colleen WeeksPhysician – Orthopedic Surgeon – Adult
Cristobal (Chris) EspinelTranslator
Danielle BeckerRN – Ward – Adult
Darrel ComeauCommunications – Mission Blogger
Deb ChalupaRN – Ward – Adult
Deborah MearsLay Person
Denise Raman-NairRN – Recovery Room – Pediatric
Douglas HillInformation Technologist/Patient Admitting Clerk
Ellen CoristineO.R. Technician
Erica GravesRN – Ward – Adult
Francisco GallardoTranslator
Grant AuerRespiratory Therapist
Greg ZinterInformation Technologist/Patient Admitting Clerk
Heather JackmanPhysician – Orthopedic Surgeon – Pediatric
Helene LocasRN – Operating Room – Pediatric
Hermes GordonTranslator
Indrani LakheeramPhysician – Anesthesiologist – Pediatric
Ivan KamikovskiResident – Orthopedics
Jackie WiebeAdministration
Jay ValenciaTranslator
Joanne BrownRN – Ward – Pediatric
Joanne MontgomeryPhysiotherapist
Jodi LindalJacksonLicensed Practical Nurse
Julia SawatzkyCommunications – Mission Blogger
Karen CalhounLay Person
Kathy BonitzRN – Operating Room – Adult
Katie MarriottRN – Operating Room – Pediatric
Kevin GreggPhysician – Anesthesiologist – Adult
Khaled AlmansooriPhysician – Orthopedic Surgeon – Pediatric
Kristen RedheadPhysiotherapist
Kyle StampePhysician – Orthopedic Surgeon – Pediatric
Lindsay BrouwerRN – Operating Room – Pediatric
Madison AmyotteStudent – Nursing
Madison LakeyRN – Operating Room – Adult
Mairi GordonRN – Recovery Room – Adult
Marc MoreauPhysician – Orthopedic Surgeon – Pediatric
Maria Echaiz-EgurenTranslator
Marina FrancisRN – Operating Room – Pediatric
Marni WesnerPhysician – Family Practice
Martha ValenciaTranslator
Mary KluteRN – Ward – Pediatric
Meaghan CooperRN – Recovery Room – Adult
Megan EwasukLay Person
Michael GoplenResident – Orthopedics
Michele VincentLay Person
Micheline AllinRN – Operating Room – Adult
Michelle LordRN – Operating Room – Adult
Natalie BuuPhysician – Anesthesiologist – Pediatric
Natalie MackStudent – General
Neethling van den HeeverPhysician – Anesthesiologist – Adult
Pauline WorsfoldRN – Recovery Room – Adult
Paulose PaulPhysician – Orthopedic Surgeon – Adult
Peggy ProdorLay Person
Peter RatcliffLay Person
Rachael CheechooLay Person
Rachel OatesPhysiotherapist
Raj DhillonPhysiotherapist
Rayanne HillierRN – Operating Room – Adult
Ricardo RodasRN – Operating Room – Adult
Rolando IslasTranslator
Ryan WrightPhysician – Family Practice
Sandra MuchekezaLay Person
Sarah LockhartRN – Ward – Pediatric
Scott BuchananRespiratory Therapist
Shinner HsuRN – Ward – Adult
Surita SidhuPhysician – Anesthesiologist – Adult
Tegan McGrawRN – Ward – Pediatric
Timothy SmithTranslator
Timothy KostamoPhysician – Orthopedic Surgeon – Adult
Vera MilliganPhysiotherapist
Victor Eguren-EchaizTranslator
Yvonne SawchynLay Person