Dr. Wonsuk Hyun, the chair director of ID Hospital has previously visited Vietnam to provide gratuitous medical services by performing surgeries for patients with craniofacial malformations. Held by 'Global Care' which is Korea's first international medical relief organization, free surgeries were performed in March 2011 both at Luang Prabang State Hospital in Laos and National Paediatric Hospital in Hanoi Vietnam. The surgery team was organized with 32 medical personnels including Dr. Hyun. They peformed surgery for about 110 Laos and Vietnam children.

These children before the operation were a lifetime of ridicule and prejudice, but after the operation, they were able to laugh and have hope like other children of their age. A mother of one boy said,

"If we didn't met the Korean doctors, my child was to live as a disabled throughout his life. I am now so happy and I want to sincerely give my thanks to the Korean doctors".

SSMH performed a heart surgery on Baterden , five-year old Mongolian female patient who was diagnosed with interventricular septal defect when she was two-month old. The surgery treated the prolonged heart disease and gave her a new life. When an overseas medical volunteer group dispatched to Mongol, by the Catholic University of Korea Songeui Campus, conducted medical consultation in July 2010, she was given doctor’s opinion which says she needed an immediate operation. On October 5 ^th 2010, she underwent a surgery performed by Prof. Jae-young Lee of Department of Pediatrics and Adolescents and Yun-Hee Chang of Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. She was fully recovered after the surgery and went back to Mongol on October 27 ^th , 2010. Jointly with the Korea Heart Foundation, SSMH rendered the entire financial support to her through the charity work. In 2008, the hospital supported 270 million won through medical charity works and 310 million won in 2009. Such works have been conducted as a part of CMC’s missionary work.

i LOVEEYE Center ’ s Dr. Lee Jong Ho has participated in Vision Care Eye camp, and has given humanitarian eye-care service to people in Ethiopia. Vision Care Eye Camp consist of ophthalmologists, nurses, and opticians, and is a voluntary organization. It started out from Pakistan area, and has spread to 22 other countries in Asia as well as Africa, from Cambodia to Mongolia. Vision Care Eye Camp is an official partner of IAPB, a subsidiary organization of WHO, and was first founded in 2008 as Korea ’ s first international medical organization designed to help people overseas restore their sight. Under the organization ’ s motto, ““ Restore sight, Share vision ”” , volunteers have been helping people to be able to see again, those that were previously unable to get proper eye-care.

iLOVEEYE center ’ s Dr. Lee Jong Ho has recently participated Vision Care Eye Camp in Ethiopia, performing free cataract surgery and taking care of eyes of countless number of people, thus promoting local peoples ’ general ocular condition and welfare. Dr. Lee also participated in educating doctors from the all over the world, teaching them many surgical skills.

MIR Dental Hospital at the center of MIR network has been involved in the voluntary medical care service activities targeting Koreans in Kyrgyzstan located in the northern part of Central Asia, from 2004 until now. Starting from voluntary medical care service of MIR Dental Hospital, Gwangju in 2004, MIR Dental Hospital was reborn as MIR Network voluntary medical care service team comprised of the volunteers from each hospital, and has been involved in many activities such as the sisterhood relationship with local medical schools, the voluntary service activities and the event for the 1st generation Korean, free medical care service and the prevention of teeth, supporting the poor local medical facilities and many other activities. All these become possible because of the passion of MIR people and this is the driving force for us to smile and perform under the tough situation and with extremely tight schedule. We wish MIR dental hospital will take the initiative in cultural exchange and the continued voluntary service, and we will also endeavor to become MIR dental hospital with healthy principle to be with our neighbors in difficulties all the time.

Korean dentists conduct dental mission in CdeO

By Annabelle L. Ricalde

Of Sun. Star Cagayan de Oro

A Group of South Korean dentists held a three-day dental mission in the Cagayan de Oro City and using the latest technology which is dental implant surgery.

Dr. Jae Yoon Lee, Director of Duk Young Dental Hospital in South Korea, said this is the first time they conducted a dental mission in a foreign country though they do this in South Korea regularly.

The group conducted the dental mission, held from February 16~18, 2009, in coordination with Rotary Club International through the Rotary Club of Cagayan de Oro.

The dental mission was held at the Northern Mindanao Medical Center(NMMC) where the group also trained at least ten local dentists on how to perform dental implant surgery.

"Dental implant is 90 percent successful based on several studies in the past four years and there are no side effects," Lee told reporters in a press conference held at the Red Cross Office Wednesday afternoon.

Implants are made of biologically compatible materials which have undergone extensive testing over a period of several years. Since these materials are largely metals such as titanium, there is no likelihood of causing an antigen-antibody response which could cause rejection similar to that which sometimes occur in organ transplants.

Dr. Lee emphasized that there is no age limit for those who may want to undergo surgery as long as the patient is healthy. A proper diagnosis must be made before undergoing an implant because healing abilities affected by a disease may also affect the success of an implant.

He added that placement and technique is specific to each individual patient to further prevent complications. The implant must be treated properly by the patient and the dentist.

"If the patient is healthy we only call on him or her once a year for checkup but if not, twice a year," added Lee.

Heavy smoking and drinking may also affect the success of an implant.

Meanwhile, Dr. Daniel Antolin, Jr., representative from the Philippine Dental Association who was able to avail of the training, said dental implants are painless and takes only three minutes to do.

"The patient may feel a little pain during the process but after no more," Antolin said.

At least 63 people from the town of Claveria benefited the dental implant in line with the 3-day dental mission led by Dr. Lee.

Korean dentist, headed by former Rotary International District 3700 Governor Dr. Jae Yoon Lee, perform a tooth implant procedure on a patient in Cagayan de Oro. The Korean dentists conducted a dental mission from February 16~18, 2009 in coordination with Rotary District 3870 Governor Rhia Rita Abalos.

 Photo by_ Joey Nacalaban