Matching Instruments with Surgeons International (MISI)
Have you ever wondered how plastic surgery can benefit doctors and patients in third world countries? After operating in many ill-equipped hospitals throughout the world, Dr Hubbard realized the overwhelming need for basic instruments in the operating rooms. He wanted to do more than operate for a week and leave; he wanted to make a contribution that could be used over and over and benefit thousands of patients. The best way to do this was to provide the instruments to the doctors who were already there with the skills but not the resources they needed.
Rather than asking people to donate, Dr. Hubbard decided to take a portion of his surgeon's fee and contribute in the name of each patient and provide them with the tax deductible receipt. Your contribution is then used to purchase the instruments that are then shipped overseas through World Medical Mission so that they go directly to the surgeons and hospitals. This is how your plastic surgery helps thousands in need with such basic equipment that we take for granted in our modern medical system. Please look at our donations web page to see how powerful these small contributions can be.
MEDICAL SUPPY RESCUE AND RECYCLE (MSRR)
During his visits to third world hospitals, Dr Hubbard first saw a need for supplies as basic as clean gloves. In many cases, third world countries have well trained medical professionals ready to help the needs of their sick and injured countrymen but cannot due to a lack of surgical supplies. At the same time in our comparatively wealthy American medical system, the rapid advance of surgical techniques and continual pressure for state-of-the-art procedures results in the persistent disposal of tons of extremely valuable surgical supplies into landfills.
"Rescuing" these surgical supplies on their way to disposal is a very logical solution for some of the needs of developing countries around the world. In 1994, Dr. Hubbard and a nurse anesthetist, Terri Cole, began the non-profit corporation Medical Supply Rescue and Recycle (MSRR) that now has 501(c)(3) nonprofit status.
In 1994, volunteers began meeting on a monthly basis to sort through surgical supplies collected from Virginia Beach hospitals and offices and box them for overseas transport. These supplies include gauze, tape, syringes, suction tubing, gloves, suture, catheters, drapes, and many other valuable items. As one suture (thread and attached needle used in surgery) can cost $8 or more it's easy to see the value in collecting hundreds of these for hospitals around the world that are forced to try to make their own.
~ Plastic Surgery Helps Haiti ~
When the earthquake struck Haiti at 4:53 p.m. January 12, 2010, your donation was already at work. For years at Hubbard Plastic Surgery, a portion of surgery fees have been used to purchase equipment for doctors in impoverished countries. $16,600 of new stainless-steel surgical instruments were sent to surgeons in Haiti in just the past two years. In response to the devastation last Tuesday, another $6000 was donated through Operation Smile and World Medical Mission to purchase surgical instruments that doctors there so desperately need.
Dr. Hubbard's non-profit organization, Matching Instruments with Surgeon's International (MISI), has raised funds simply from taking a portion of his surgeon's fee to purchase and donate medical instruments which can be used over and over for years to come. In times of catastrophe, there is some comfort knowing that we can all make a difference in some way. At Hubbard Plastic Surgery, we would like to thank our patients for participating in this program with us. We encourage you to send further contributions through The American Red Cross, Operation Smile or Physicians for Peace. Together, let's continue to help the doctors in Haiti by giving them the tools they need.
Thank you for your support,
Thomas J. Hubbard, M.D., F.A.C.S.
| Monthly Donations 2010 |
|
Jan
|
$650 |
|
Feb
|
$1000 |
|
Mar
|
$850 |
|
Apr
|
$1200 |
|
May
|
$ |
|
June
|
$ |
|
July
|
$ |
|
August
|
$ |
|
September
|
$ |
|
October
|
$ |
|
November
|
$ |
|
December
|
$ |
| |
|
Year to Date
|
$3700 |
| 2009: $11,650 |
|
2003 - 2008: $79,150
|
| 
