13
May, 2018

CNN Hero Nomination: Dr. Jim Sanchez

Jim Sanchez, MD CNN Hero Nomination
Dr Jim Sanchez is a Surgeon who graduated from the University of Santo Tomas, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, who specializes in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in the Philippines. 
He has dedicated himself tirelessly to the people of the Philippines and volunteered thousands of hours of his time to treat and operate on the most poverty stricken people of the country who often are from remote areas and subsequently do not have access to medical care. 
As such, Dr Sanchez started a Mobile Surgical Unit (MSU) which are medical vans that serve as mobile hospitals.  Initially, he started using a discarded container van in June 2007 and upgraded to a Mobile Surgical Unit developed in September 2007.  Since its inception,  in January 2018, he has expanded its scope and adapted the concept of ‘Hospital On Wheels (HOW).’    He is the Founder of Hospital on Wheels Philippines and Founder & Chairman of the Board, Republic of the Philippines Healthcraft Carrier Foundation, Inc.
From a slum area in Guadalupe, to Lipa City in the province of Batangas, and even to the far-flung evacuation area in the vicinity of the Mayon Volcano eruption in Albay, to scores of waiting patients in Taytay, Rizal, and more recently in Apalit municipality in Pampanga, he has touched and served the struggling people as well as victims of typhoons or other natural disasters using the Mobile Surgical Units.
Since the MSU’s launching, there have been more than 180 surgical missions and more than 15,000 indigent Filipino patients treated by Dr. Sanchez and his team of volunteers with the following conditions: benign and malignant tumors located externally (including skin cancers, breast tumors and thyroid goiters), cleft lip, other congenital and developmental conditions (like hemangiomas), inguinal hernias, below the knee amputations (BKA)for diabetic gangrene and release of burn contractures, all free of charge and almost all performed under local anesthesia
He uses his own funds,  as well as charitable contributions from the U.S.  in order to have these successful Surgical Missions.
Because of the extreme poverty in the remote areas of the Philippines and the sheer volume of patients requiring surgery and the lack of funding, it became necessary to travel to these remote provinces with the MSUs and to  treat most of these indigent patients under Peripheral Anesthetic Nerve Blocks or Local Anesthesia.  As a result, the patients  did not need extensive and expensive  medical clearance that required laboratory exams, imaging exams (X-ray), ECG, pre-medications, Intravenous (IV) fluids, IV medications, hospitalization and other things needed by patients who will undergo surgery under General or Spinal Anesthesia. All the patients  can eat before and immediately after the surgery, and can go home right after or a few hours after the procedure.  Peripheral Anesthetic Nerve Blocks or Local Anesthesia has resulted in tremendous cost-savings to about 80% compared to operations performed in the hospital setting!
Aside from the above, Dr Sanchez and his medical team has achieved the following: zero mortality,  hundreds of Inguinal Hernia surgery repair under local anesthesia including children as young as 3 years old and hundreds of Cleft Lip repairs under local anesthesia in children as young as 4 years old under local anesthesia (awake and not sedated).
As far as I know, these types of surgery under local anesthesia has not been done outside the Philippines.
Dr. Sanchez has also authored eight Medical Books related to Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery as well as the application of using Peripheral Anesthetic Nerve Blocks or Local Anesthesia in major surgical procedures.
Dr Jim Sanchez is a humanitarian who has dedicated his life to serving and caring for the indigent people of the Philippines and deserves to be recognized as a CNN Hero.
Lino de Guzman, M.D.
USTMAA,Southern California
8
May, 2018

God’s Gift… 10 Years In The Making

God’s gift

From a discarded container van in June 2007 to a Mobile Surgical Unit (MSU) of the Rotary Club of San Francisco del Monte, RI 3780 in September 2007 and finally to a Hospital On Wheels (HOW) in January 2018

Since the MSU’s launching, there have been more than 15,000 indigent Filipino patients with the following conditions who have benefitted: benign and malignant tumors located externally (including skin cancers, breast tumors and goiter), cleft lip, other congenital and developmental conditions (like hemangioma) and inguinal hernia.

Most of these patients were done under Peripheral Anesthetic Nerve Blocks or Local Anesthesia hence did not need extensive medical clearance that required laboratory exams, imaging exams (X-ray), ECG, pre-medications, Intravenous (IV) fluids, IV medications, hospitalization and other things needed by patients who wil

l undergo surgery under General or Spinal Anesthesia. All of them can eat before and immediately after the surgery, and can go home right after or a few hours after the procedure.

How much savings? More than 80% of that in the hospital setting!

Aside from the above, so far, we have achieved the following:

  • Zero mortality (Thank God)
  • Have done hundreds of Inguinal Hernia surgery under local anesthesia including children as young as 3 years old.
  • Have done hundreds of Cleft Lip repair under local anesthesia in children as young as 4 years old

Yes, we have been doing Hernia and Cleft Lip surgery on kids as young as 3 years old under local anesthesia (awake and not sedated).

As far as I know, this has not been done outside the Philippines.

The Hospital On Wheels (HOW) was a dream more than 10 years ago.

It is now a reality.

I believe it is God’s gift to the Filipino people.

 

Dr. Jim Sanchez

Hospital On Wheels (HOW) Philipines

“Together, we can save lives”

30
Apr, 2018

Mother and Child with Cleft Lips

The Hospital On Wheels (HOW) had a mini surgical mission in Apalit Pampanga last Saturday, April 28,2018. There was one interesting case about a mother and child who both had a cleft lip.

 The case of the “Mother and Child with Cleft Lips” was special because they were specially endorsed to me by the Tsai couple (Fred and Nora Tsai) of the Phil. Med. Assoc. of Chicago (PMAC).

One month before the mission, they had a terrible accident on their way to PMAC’s Medical Mission in Camiguin Island last January, 2018 (7 missioners died on the spot, 2 seriously injured).

Three weeks ago, I operated on the baby.

On the day after the surgery, Fred & Nora Tsai called me up to thank me and offered to shoulder all the expenses incurred in the hospital by the patient. At this point, Nora was still recovering & having rehabilitation from the multiple surgeries she underwent in a hospital in Cebu & later at Makati Medical Center while Fred had minor injuries. I told them to not worry and that everything was taken care of.

 Yesterday, it was the mother’s turn to have revision of cleft lip repair. She had a badly repaired bilateral cleft lip since she was young.

 I wanted both of them to live a normal life, not having the stigma of cleft lip. Our team, through the HOW, gave our best for the “Mother & Child with Cleft Lips.”

It was not only for the patients but also as a way of saying thank you to the Tsais, Rubios, Huangs, and all other Medical Missioners who risk their lives in serving indigent Filipino patients who have limited access to quality healthcare.

Jim Sanchez
Hospital On Wheels (HOW)
“Together, we can change the lives of others”