Project Starfish, Xian, China

The Australian Chinese Medical Association (Victoria) is sending a medical team on its first-ever cleft palate surgical mission to Xian, China, to operate on 20 abandoned babies with cleft lip/palate.

ACMAV requires volunteers to help with each stage of the mission:

• Stage 1        Pre-operative
• Stage 2        Peri-operative
• Stage 3        Post-operative

This is not only an opportunity to see and learn about the management of babies born with cleft lip/palate defects, but also an opportunity to visit a foster home and/or a hospital in China, which are two places that tourists seldom have a chance to visit.

Stage 1        Pre-operative

This stageis anticipated to start on Monday 12 Sept 2011, at the Starfish Foster Home.
Cleft babies will be admitted from the Xian Children’s Welfare Institute, and will need medical assessment, including pathology and radiology tests if necessary, and assessment of their nutritional status.  The purpose of this stage is to optimise their health and get them as fit as possible in preparation for surgery. 
This is a very important stage in the mission; if the babies’ health is in any way suboptimal, then there is a higher risk of infection and slower recovery post-operatively.
This is an opportunity to see and learn about management of cleft babies, including the problems associated with feeding them, as well as babies with other birth defects such as spina bifida and congenital heart disease.
Volunteers will be under the supervision of Amanda de Lange, director of the Starfish foster home.
For this stage, it is recommended that volunteers stay at the Starfish foster home – see “costs” below.

Stage 2        Peri-operative

This stage starts on Sunday 25 Sept and ends on Saturday 1 Oct 2011, at the First Affiliated Hospital of the Medical College of Xian Jiao Tong University.
Cleft babies will be admitted from the Starfish foster home, undergo pre-operative tests and then undergo corrective surgery.  As they have no parents or carers, volunteers will be required to assist in their daily care (eg. feeding, bathing, changing nappies) and nursing care (eg. checking their temperature, wound care) during their stay in hospital.   Volunteers will be required to work day shifts 7.30am – 7.30pm with breaks in between.  It is not expected, but would be greatly appreciated if volunteers are also able to work some night shifts. 
This is a great opportunity to experience firsthand and learn about the health system in China.  Although there may be opportunity to see cleft surgery, it is highly unlikely that volunteers will be allowed to scrub and assist in surgery.
Volunteers will be under the supervision of Dr Siew Keng Chan (GP, Melbourne), and/or Dr Chin Liim (GP, Adelaide), and/or Nada Brown (registered nurse, Melbourne).
For this stage, it is recommended that you stay in a hotel near the hospital – see “costs” below.  Accommodation will be available at the Starfish foster home, however it is quite some distance from the hospital, about 40 minutes by taxi.

Stage 3        Post-operative

This stage begins on Tuesday 27 Sept 2011, when it is anticipated that the first babies will be discharged from the hospital.
This stage ends on Friday 7 Oct 2011, as most infections occur in the first week post-op.
Cleft babies will require daily checking – wound care, feeding, checking for chest infections.
This is an opportunity to learn about post-op management of cleft babies.  Volunteers will be under the supervision of Amanda de Lange (director of foster home) and Dr Chin Lim (GP, Adelaide).
Accommodation is available at the Starfish foster home – see “costs” below.

Costs involved

• Airfare – about $1,200 (China Southern Airlines via Guangzhou)
• Accommodation at Starfish - $10/person/night; includes lunch, bed linen and bath towel
• Accommodation at Yang Yang International Hotel (near the hospital) – RMB 360/room/night (about $51)
• Airport transfers to/from Starfish – RMB 100 one-way (about $14)
• Airport transfers to/from hotel – about RMB 120 one-way (about $17)
• Taxi fare between Starfish and hospital – about RMB 50 one-way (about $7)
• Optional full day tour of Terracotta Warriors and Great Mosque – about $55.  Date to be confirmed (will be either Sunday 25 Sept or Saturday 1 Oct)

Donations and Supplies

Donations are always welcomed by the foster home – monetary donation, baby clothes, medications (antibiotics, Gastrolyte, steroid skin creams, antifungal skin creams), medical equipment (nebulisers, spacers), chocolates for the older children.
Specific supplies required  for the Stage 2 (hospital room) include large bottles of alcohol handgel, disinfectant wipes (eg. Pine-o-Cleen) and disinfectant sprays (eg. Glen-20).  These items are not available in China.

Further information

About the Starfish foster home : www.thestarfishfosterhome.org
About the hospital : www.dyyy.xjtu.edu.cn/structure/yyw/index