Fresh Start Surgical Gifts, a Carlsbad-based not-for-profit organization that provides reconstructive plastic surgery to children and young adults with physical deformities, held a surgery weekend on September 24 and 25 at a surgical center in Encinitas. The purpose of these weekends is to give kids and young adults their life dream, an opportunity many of them never believed would happen, the chance to look just like everyone else.
A 3,500 square foot building located on Palomar Airport Road in Carlsbad is now headquarters for the Fresh Start organization founded in 1991 by Dr. Dennis M. Nigro. The site consists of a consultation examining room, storage space for surgical supplies and medical records, and offices for 14 staff members. These members are responsible for raising money and coordinating the six to eight surgery weekends that take place every year. During these weekends a team of dedicated medical volunteers, including highly skilled physicians and nurses, medical technicians and support staff donate their time and expertise to provide disadvantaged children with the highest quality medical services. In one weekend, approximately 10-15 major surgeries, multiple minor surgeries, laser treatments and 25-30 multi-specialty patient evaluations are conducted. Donations and in-kind contributions for one of these weekends total around $154,000. Out of pocket expenditures can produce upwards of an $115,000 tab. This total is comprised of facility and patient assistance fees, travel, lodging, medical supplies and equipment. How much does this one-of-a-kind experience cost the patient or their family? Absolutely nothing.
Dr. Nigro has worked with several groups around the world providing medical services for children from financially disadvantaged families. In doing so, it became apparent to him that a central facility should be established in the United States where patients could receive specialty care from a doctor and be enrolled in a program that would allow for complete rehabilitation. This is the driving factor behind the Fresh Start mission to "transform the lives of disadvantaged children and young people with physical deformities caused by birth defects, accidents, abuse or disease."
Since its inception, Fresh Start has given over $10 million in services and support and performed over 4,000 surgeries. Fresh Start also provides continuous follow-up care for patients, speech therapy, dental care and psychological services and is one of the few non-profits that provide reconstructive plastic surgery to U.S.-based patients.
For more information on Fresh Start, call (760) 944-7774 x121 for volunteer information, x115 for inquiries or visit them on the web at freshstart.org.
A 3,500 square foot building located on Palomar Airport Road in Carlsbad is now headquarters for the Fresh Start organization founded in 1991 by Dr. Dennis M. Nigro. The site consists of a consultation examining room, storage space for surgical supplies and medical records, and offices for 14 staff members. These members are responsible for raising money and coordinating the six to eight surgery weekends that take place every year. During these weekends a team of dedicated medical volunteers, including highly skilled physicians and nurses, medical technicians and support staff donate their time and expertise to provide disadvantaged children with the highest quality medical services. In one weekend, approximately 10-15 major surgeries, multiple minor surgeries, laser treatments and 25-30 multi-specialty patient evaluations are conducted. Donations and in-kind contributions for one of these weekends total around $154,000. Out of pocket expenditures can produce upwards of an $115,000 tab. This total is comprised of facility and patient assistance fees, travel, lodging, medical supplies and equipment. How much does this one-of-a-kind experience cost the patient or their family? Absolutely nothing.
Dr. Nigro has worked with several groups around the world providing medical services for children from financially disadvantaged families. In doing so, it became apparent to him that a central facility should be established in the United States where patients could receive specialty care from a doctor and be enrolled in a program that would allow for complete rehabilitation. This is the driving factor behind the Fresh Start mission to "transform the lives of disadvantaged children and young people with physical deformities caused by birth defects, accidents, abuse or disease."
Since its inception, Fresh Start has given over $10 million in services and support and performed over 4,000 surgeries. Fresh Start also provides continuous follow-up care for patients, speech therapy, dental care and psychological services and is one of the few non-profits that provide reconstructive plastic surgery to U.S.-based patients.
For more information on Fresh Start, call (760) 944-7774 x121 for volunteer information, x115 for inquiries or visit them on the web at freshstart.org.