Speaker encourages charity work at AACS

NEW ORLEANS — Keynote speaker, Andrew Ordon, MD, discussed the importance and benefits of participating in medical volunteer charity missions during the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery’s Annual Scientific Meeting, here.

Since he performed his first cleft palate surgery in 1984, Ordon has participated in charity work abroad and within his local area of Beverly Hills to improve the quality of life and health of thousands of patients with face or body abnormalities.

In 2009, Ordon worked with Operation Smile Train, in Varanasi, India, on children with cleft lips and palates alongside Subodh Kumar Singh, MD. Singh sees more than 10 cases per day with this life altering defect, according to Ordon, who said Singh has likely performed more cleft palate/lip reconstructions than anyone else in the world. Ordon also travelled to Haiti in 2010 to offer relief to citizens impacted by the earthquake.

Ordon recommended surgeons be fastidious when searching for a charity in order to find a niche that is of particular interest. Having worked with both children and adults, and in communities affected by a natural disaster, economic factors or domestic violence, the options for charity endeavors are practically limitless, he said.

In Beverly Hills, Ordon works with an organization called Safe Passage, which helps domestic violence victims. These cases usually involve rhinoplasty and teeth reconstruction — the latter of which is completed by another surgeon, he said.

Not only does doing charity work feel good and change the lives of those who need it, but a surgeon’s own paying patients will be satisfied that he or she is contributing to those who need it with this type of work, according to Ordon.

Because of his charity endeavors, “I have more passion for my profession now than I did 10 or 20 years ago,” Ordon said. – by Abigail Sutton

Reference:

Ordon A. Keynote lecture. Presented at: American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery Annual Scientific Meeting. Jan 13-17, 2015; New Orleans.

Disclosure: No products or companies that would require financial disclosure are mentioned in this article.