BAKERSFIELD, CA - A local plastic surgeon is back in Bakersfield after improving the lives of dozens of children in the Middle East. Dr. Vipul Dev traveled to Israel and Palestine, caring for some of the smallest victims of ongoing violence in the region. It's part of the Palestinian Children Relief Foundation.
"If you really just let yourself go and have the entire experience, it was amazing," said Dr. Dev.
Dr. Dev was one of few American doctors who made the trip. That's because of constant clashes between the Israelis and Palestinians. Dr. Dev snapped a picture of a sign as he was entering Palestine warning Israelis it would be dangerous to their lives to cross.
It's fighting that has left children scarred. Dr. Dev cared for many of them, including a little boy burned by a Molotov cocktail as a baby. Thick scar tissue made it impossible for him to lift his arm. At six years old, he had never been able to hug his mother.
"We were able to release the scar, and he was able to hug his mom. And, that was awesome because you don't get to see that all of the time either. And, when you see that, I think we all got emotional. So, it was great," said Dr. Dev.
Medical care is extremely limited in the area and so is medical equipment. What is abundant in American hospitals is scarce in the Middle East, even beds. Many children had to be held to be put under because there was no other option.
"I walked into an operating room there and asked for a lot of things and didn't get anything. But, it was nice for me too because it taught me how to use everything I have and make the most of it," said Dr. Dev.
In all, 120 patients were seen and 50 surgeries performed. And, Dr. Dev left behind invaluable information to the childrens' physicians to continue the care he started.
"If I can recruit friends of mine to do this, we are going to be able to make a difference somewhere," said Dr. Dev.
Dr. Dev says he is already getting other plastic surgeons to volunteer with him again next summer. And, he's Skyping with the doctors he met in Palestine to continue treatments on the patients he saw.