The Mercy Outreach Surgical Team (M.O.S.T.) at Scripps Mercy Hospital is dedicated to providing free medical and surgical care to needy children and adults in other nations. Our group comprises physicians, nurses, recovery team members and other health care professionals, translators and Rotarians who volunteer their time to help the indigent who are in need of these life-enhancing surgeries. Our services focus on repairing deformities caused by birth defects or accidents such as burn scars, cleft lips and palates, hernias and crossed eyes. Since its inception, more than 5,000 patients with almost no access to health care have been treated by the M.O.S.T. program. The M.O.S.T. team began treating 60 patients on our initial trips and has expanded our service level to reach close to 300 patient cases each trip.

The Sisters of Mercy established Scripps Mercy Hospital, San Diego County’s longest operating and only Catholic hospital, in 1890. The hospital was founded on the premise of caring for the underserved in the community through various programs and services like M.O.S.T.

Correcting the deformities of these children boosts their self-esteem, according to Thomas Vecchione, M.D., plastic and reconstructive surgeon at Scripps Mercy Hospital and M.O.S.T. board member. These procedures enable them to go to school, obtain an education and become vital members of their community.

Twice each year, volunteers fly to Mexico and spend one week operating on children who have been brought in from the impoverished countryside. Often, these pediatric patients have deformities such as cleft lips and palates, which cause them to be separated from society. Due to physical and speech impediments, some of these children are abandoned or kept home from school. The medical procedures provided by M.O.S.T. not only correct a patient’s physical deformity, they allow the children to integrate back into their communities and live normal lives.

San Diego Rotary Club members and representatives from various cities in Mexico coordinate these efforts and contribute to the logistics and support of the M.O.S.T. team’s surgical clinics. Volunteers donate their time and contribute to the expenses for these surgical clinics. In addition, most of the equipment and supplies are donated and sometimes remain with the facility to enable future surgeries.

While there are many such medical volunteer groups around the United States, M.O.S.T. has a unique partnership with Rotary International. The local Rotary Clubs, in the town where the mission takes place, offer invaluable support during the M.O.S.T. trip. Twice a year, M.O.S.T. members work with state agencies and hospital administrators to determine appropriate locations, politics for local support and financial assistance. In addition, the M.O.S.T. program involves local physicians and providers so that they can develop and sustain medical programs in their community.

Our mission to serve those most in need

The mission of the Mercy Surgical Outreach Team is threefold:

• To bring hope, comfort and the opportunity for a better life to children and adults through corrective surgery

• To share medical knowledge and expertise with colleagues in a host country

• To provide an opportunity for team volunteers to experience the spiritual rewards of service

Miracles in Tula

During a recent M.O.S.T. trip to Tula, Mexico, a volunteer team of surgeons, nurses and other staff treated more than 300 children for cleft palates and lips, crossed eyes and burn scar revisions. Footage from that mission was used to produce a documentary entitled Miracles in Tula, which was hosted by Naomi Judd, country music star and a former nurse. To receive a DVD of this documentary, please call 619-686-3633.