November 2017 Volunteer Mission Members
MARCH 2018 MARKETPLACECONTRACOSTA.COM 55
Each mission consists of a team of about 20-22
professionals, including surgeons, neurophysiologists,
anesthesiologists, an implant specialist, experienced OR
nurses, technicians, and support staff—along with dozens
of duffle bags containing all of the medical equipment and
supplies that is required for the mission…. suffice it to say,
it’s no easy task. The journey itself takes over 24 hours one
way, including both air and ground transfers, and once they
arrive they have not a moment to spare. “The goal is to
train the local surgeons there,” Dr. Bains said. “I’ve already
trained one of the surgeons from India. With time, they
can take care of these children on their own and I could
go on looking for other sites and other areas where there’s
a need.”
Standing Straight’s surgeries are conducted at the SGL
Charitable Hospital in Jalandhar. It was selected by Dr.
Bains about 5 years ago when he was fulfilling his father’s
wish to have his remains brought back to his homeland
after he passed. Dr. Bains ended up with time to spare and
decided to peruse the local hospitals. When he visited SGL,
he saw a major opportunity.
“They have the same shared values as we do, and wanted
us to do complex spinal surgical care for their community,”
said Dr. Bains. “Other hospitals just did not have enough
facilities or support that spinal surgery would require—
they didn’t have a physical therapy department, they didn’t
have a blood bank, etc.—but this hospital had facilities that
would make it possible.”
After several visits, it was made clear that SGL was going
to follow through with helping make this all a reality. Dr.
Bains met with their local surgeons, and developed ongoing
communications with them in order to make sure they find the
most fitting candidates for surgery, as Dr. Bains and his team can
only perform about 10 surgeries per mission. Utilizing modern
technology, patients can be carefully examined from Dr. Bains’
office here in Oakland.
Dr. Ravi S. Bains and
James Mitchell, RN, PNP