Orange County Physicians Run 'Mission of Mercy' to Redding, Perform Required Surgeries on 40 Children

    REDDING, Calif., Dec. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Eight physicians, including
 six from Orange County, will make a "Mission of Mercy" to Redding, Calif. this
 weekend, beginning an effort to get needed surgeries for low-income children
 who have been on waiting lists for up to 18 months. Redding, like many
 communities in this state, has a shortage of specialists. Limited access to
 medical care for children statewide is caused in part by low Medi-Cal fees and
 physician scarcity in parts of California.
 
     WHO:    About 40 children will receive tonsil, adenoid and ear-tube
             surgeries during a weekend marathon of surgeries. Six surgeons,
             including two Redding physicians, and two anesthesiologists will
             be joined by a surgical nursing team. All will volunteer their
             services for the surgeries.
 
     WHAT:   The operations taking place Dec. 14-16 will be followed in
             February by an additional set of 30 similar surgeries in Redding.
             Some of these children have experienced hearing loss and
             disfigurement from the delays in care. Only two ear-nose-throat
             specialists serve the greater Redding community.
 
     WHERE:  All children were referred by Shasta Community Health Center. The
             surgeries will be performed at Redding's two hospitals -- Redding
             Medical Center and Mercy Hospital.
 
     WHEN:   News conference to introduce key players and patients 11 a.m.
             Thursday, Dec. 14, Shasta Community Health Center, 2630 Breslauer
             Way, 530-246-5726. Surgeries will take place on Thursday, Friday
             and Saturday.
 
     Dedicated to the health of all Californians, the California Medical
 Association represents more than 34,000 physicians from all regions, modes of
 practice and medical specialties.
 
 

SOURCE  California Medical Association