Annabel Clark

Photographer

Medical Missions

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Location: Seattle & NYC

Nationality: American

Biography: Annabel Clark is a documentary and portrait photographer based in Seattle and New York City. Born and raised in California, she received her BFA in Photography from Parsons School of Design. During her final term at Parsons, she photographed her... MORE

Yerlis Maria, 9 years old Santa...Healing the Children Northeast

Yerlis Maria, 9 years old
Santa Marta, Colombia, 2010

For Healing the Children Northeast

Waiting in line Santa Marta, Co...Healing the Children Northeast

Waiting in line
Santa Marta, Colombia, 2010

For Healing the Children Northeast

Wristbands Santa Marta, Colombi...Healing the Children Northeast

Wristbands
Santa Marta, Colombia, 2010

For Healing the Children Northeast

Feeding Santa Marta, Colombia, ...Healing the Children Northeast

Feeding
Santa Marta, Colombia, 2007

For Healing the Children Northeast

Soccer in the halls Santa Marta...Healing the Children Northeast

Soccer in the halls
Santa Marta, Colombia, 2007

For Healing the Children Northeast

Iago before surgery Aquiraz, Br...Healing the Children Northeast

Iago before surgery
Aquiraz, Brazil, 2008

For Healing the Children Northeast

Debbie Fritz, RN prepares Kettl...Healing the Children Northeast

Debbie Fritz, RN prepares Kettlen for surgery
Aquiraz, Brazil, 2008

â€œThese missions have made me realize how very fortunate I am and helped me appreciate even the simplest things in life that we all tend to take for granted. With each mission that I do I seem to develop more feelings of peace and contentment within myself and within my daily life. I feel a sense of personal accomplishment and I hope that I may have inspired at least one person to do something good and positive towards one other being.â€
-Debbie Fritz, RN

For Healing the Children Northeast

Ann Bennett-Collazuol, RN gives...Healing the Children Northeast

Ann Bennett-Collazuol, RN gives sips of water to Raysa after surgery
Aquiraz, Brazil, 2008

â€œTo be a part of something like this is like a miracle. And to see these talented doctors, the work they do â€“- itâ€™s so pure, thereâ€™s no bureaucracy. Itâ€™s what you became a doctor or nurse for. Sometimes I feel Iâ€™m not doing enough here, but Iâ€™m more content because of this experience â€” itâ€™s opened a door. They talk about how global the world is, all one. I never felt it as much as through this. It wasnâ€™t them and us â€” it was we.â€
-Ann Bennett-Collazuol, RN, Nyack, NY

For Healing the Children Northeast

Abuela watches over Santa Marta...Healing the Children Northeast

Abuela watches over
Santa Marta, Colombia, 2007

â€œMost of the time, a parent would see his or her child for the first time after surgery in the recovery room. We couldnâ€™t help but shed tears with them â€“ tears of joy, for seeing the almost magical transformation.â€
-Elaine Suderio-Tirone, RN,Vassar Brothers Medical Center

For Healing the Children Northeast

Kettlen in bed Aquiraz, Brazil,...Healing the Children Northeast

Kettlen in bed
Aquiraz, Brazil, 2008

For Healing the Children Northeast

Screening day Santa Marta, Colo...Healing the Children Northeast

Screening day
Santa Marta, Colombia, 2007

For Healing the Children Northeast

Elaine Suderio-Tirone, RN comfo...Healing the Children Northeast

Elaine Suderio-Tirone, RN comforts a patient in the recovery room
Santa Marta, Colombia, 2007

â€œI was holding a little girl right after surgery. She lay in my arms completely calm and trusting. I was a total stranger to her but she did not cry and had not showed signs of fear. I wondered if they are just raised tough and strong. Her mother came crying, tears of joy I was sure, holding the cross of the rosary she was wearing around her neck. She hugged me saying "gracias, gracias". She touched the cross again mumbling some prayers. Then she kept saying to her child 'bonita,bonita'. I looked at her with tears in my eyes silently telling myself: 'this is why I am hereâ€™.â€
-Elaine Suderio-Tirone, RN, Vassar Brothers Medical Center

For Healing the Children Northeast

Dr. Arthur Menken between surge...Healing the Children Northeast

Dr. Arthur Menken between surgeries
Santa Marta, Colombia, 2007

â€œThe mission didn't change my outlook on life but emphasized even more what I've always believed -- complain about this country all you will and often with good reason. But we are very fortunate to live in the USA, and we must take any opportunity to bring some of this good fortune to less fortunate people elsewhere.â€
-Arthur W. Menken, MD, Poughkeepsie, NY

For Healing the Children Northeast

Evelyn on screening day Aquiraz...Healing the Children Northeast

Evelyn on screening day
Aquiraz, Brazil, 2008

A young mother named Luzirene sat in the waiting room with her 5-year old daughter Evelyn, whose scars were noticeable from a previous cleft lip surgery. When Evelyn was born, Luzirene had been scared of her daughterâ€™s facial deformity. At the time, she did not know that help was coming and that the fairly straightforward procedures would allow Evelyn to lead a normal life. After having her lip repaired at age 2, Evelyn was put on a waiting list for another 2 years to get an operation for her cleft palate. When Dr. Abrahamâ€™s team arrived in Brazil, Luzireneâ€™s prayers were answered. Evelynâ€™s cleft palate surgery was a success and back at home, the toys that she received from the American team were put on display like a shrine.

For Healing the Children Northeast

Evelyn and Luzirene walk into t...Healing the Children Northeast

Evelyn and Luzirene walk into the operating room followed by Robin Birchenough, CRNA
Aquiraz, Brazil, 2008

For Healing the Children Northeast

Evelyn being screened by Dr. Ma...Healing the Children Northeast

Evelyn being screened by Dr. Manoj Abraham and Dr. Alex Ovchinsky
Aquiraz, Brazil, 2008

For Healing the Children Northeast

Evelyn and her mother Luzirene ...Healing the Children Northeast

Evelyn and her mother Luzirene before surgery
Aquiraz, Brazil, 2008

For Healing the Children Northeast

Evelyn wakes up in the recovery...Healing the Children Northeast

Evelyn wakes up in the recovery room (from l-r: Mary Hayden, RN, Tamara Faublas, RN, Olivia Birchenough, Dr. David Fenner, Dr. Kavita Aggarwal, Elaine Suderio-Tirone, RN)

Aquiraz, Brazil, 2008

â€œI am so very grateful for the opportunity to work in the company of truly wonderful humanitarians -- brilliant, hardworking, focused, and undaunted. Always with our one goal clearly in sight: the children. The children one after another, we cared for them as if they were our own.â€

-Leonora Gerspach, RN, Vassar Brothers Medical Center

For Healing the Children Northeast

The operation (from l-r: Dr. Ma...Healing the Children Northeast

The operation (from l-r: Dr. Manoj Abraham, Dr. Alex Ovchinsky and Dr. Joshua Bedwell)
Aquiraz, Brazil, 2008

For Healing the Children Northeast

Evelyn and Luzirene at home one...Healing the Children Northeast

Evelyn and Luzirene at home one day after cleft palate surgery
Aquiraz, Brazil, 2008

For Healing the Children Northeast

Evelyn receives a visit from a ...Healing the Children Northeast

Evelyn receives a visit from a friend
Aquiraz, Brazil, 2008

For Healing the Children Northeast

Evelyn relaxes at home Aquiraz,...Healing the Children Northeast

Evelyn relaxes at home
Aquiraz, Brazil, 2008

For Healing the Children Northeast

Going home Aquiraz, Brazil, 200...Healing the Children Northeast

Going home
Aquiraz, Brazil, 2008

For Healing the Children Northeast

Carlos Jose with his father San...Healing the Children Northeast

Carlos Jose with his father
Santa Marta, Colombia, 2010

Carlos Jose, age six, is the youngest of four generations of men who were born with a cleft palate. Although he was unable to have surgery during the 2010 mission, he and his father worked with speech therapists Helen Buhler and Etoile LeBlanc to learn pronunciation exercises that he can practice until the next mission. Speech therapy is an important part of treatment for cleft palate patients, who are often unable to articulate certain sounds and speak with a hypernasal voice. Doing exercises before and after surgery leads to a better outcome in terms of speech and communication. Carlosâ€™ father never had surgery and therefore continues to have problems with language and articulation. Carlos worries about getting surgery, because he doesnâ€™t want to sound different than his father.

For Healing the Children Northeast

Danilo, 20 years old Santa Mart...Healing the Children Northeast

Danilo, 20 years old
Santa Marta, Colombia, 2007

â€œDanilo is a high school student who has a severe cleft defect that has affected his speech. He is a very bright student, which has earned him high honors. However, his applications to local universities have been met with disdain--his speech impairment is viewed as a cognitive defect--admission deans see him as mentally slow and he is denied admission to every college in his town. Yet his ambition prevails. He vows that he will pursue his dream of higher education--and comes to us for surgical correction of his physically limiting cleft palate--to show the world that he will be able to speak normally, communicate effectively, and gain entrance into a premier university. Yesterday, on post-op rounds, the team is elated to see Danilo doing well and able to speak like he has never spoken before--he, his mother, and the surgeons exchange tears and hugs and hope for his future.â€

-Kavita Aggarwal, MD, Poughkeepsie, NY

For Healing the Children Northeast

Cristina, 5 years old Santa Mar...Healing the Children Northeast

Cristina, 5 years old
Santa Marta, Colombia, 2010

For Healing the Children Northeast

Cesar Comilo with his mother Sa...Healing the Children Northeast

Cesar Comilo with his mother
Santa Marta, Colombia, 2007

Some families travel for days to see the doctors. The hospital in Colombia allows them to stay for the whole week while they wait for their surgeries, providing mattresses to sleep on and 3 meals per day.

For Healing the Children Northeast

Luis Gabriel with his father Sa...Healing the Children Northeast

Luis Gabriel with his father
Santa Marta, Colombia, 2007

For Healing the Children Northeast

Carlos Mario Santa Marta, Colom...Healing the Children Northeast

Carlos Mario
Santa Marta, Colombia, 2007

For Healing the Children Northeast

Waiting outside hospital Aquira...Healing the Children Northeast

Waiting outside hospital
Aquiraz, Brazil, 2008

For Healing the Children Northeast

Anibal Jose with his father San...Healing the Children Northeast

Anibal Jose with his father
Santa Marta, Colombia, 2007

â€œEach family spent great time, effort, and monies to reach us. One particular child, Anibal Jose, and his family were so desperate to seek our medical services, that they walked over two hours from their remote village to the nearest town, then traveled 7 hours by bus, only to manage making it to the hospital a whole day after all of the prospective surgical candidates had already been selected. Not only did his story warm our hearts, but also his cleft defect was very significant, so we had to add him onto our OR schedule.â€
-Kavita Aggarwal, MD, Poughkeepsie, New York

For Healing the Children Northeast

Anibal Jose returns on screenin...Healing the Children Northeast

Anibal Jose returns on screening day
(Anibal Jose, his mother and Dr. Augustine Moscatello)
Santa Marta, Colombia, 2010

For Healing the Children Northeast

Anibal Jose waits Santa Marta, ...Healing the Children Northeast

Anibal Jose waits
Santa Marta, Colombia, 2010

â€œIn the end, this effort was all about the children. Words can not describe how wonderful it is to make a difference in these kids lives, to inspire hope that there are people in the world who care.â€

-Manoj T. Abraham, MD, Poughkeepsie, NY

For Healing the Children Northeast

Yailene before surgery Santa Ma...Healing the Children Northeast

Yailene before surgery
Santa Marta, Colombia, 2007

For Healing the Children Northeast

Yailene returns Santa Marta, Co...Healing the Children Northeast

Yailene returns
Santa Marta, Colombia, 2010

For Healing the Children Northeast

Edwin with balloons Santa Marta...Healing the Children Northeast

Edwin with balloons
Santa Marta, Colombia, 2007

â€œThe most rewarding aspect of the mission is knowing that a life is changed forever for the better. Knowing that suffering is alleviated. Knowing that a child can smile again; a smile he/she was deprived of because of the defect. These realities make my heart bigger and lighter. They make me smile too.â€

-Elaine Suderio-Tirone, RN, Vassar Brothers Medical Center

For Healing the Children Northeast

Blowing bubbles with Chikela Co...Healing the Children Northeast

Blowing bubbles with Chikela Cody
Santa Marta, Colombia, 2010

For Healing the Children Northeast

Sleeping at the hospital Santa ...Healing the Children Northeast

Sleeping at the hospital
Santa Marta, Colombia, 2010

For Healing the Children Northeast

Passing the time Santa Marta, C...Healing the Children Northeast

Passing the time
Santa Marta, Colombia, 2010

For Healing the Children Northeast

Toy soldiers Santa Marta, Colom...Healing the Children Northeast

Toy soldiers
Santa Marta, Colombia, 2010

For Healing the Children Northeast

Rondinelle in the hospital Aqui...Healing the Children Northeast

Rondinelle in the hospital
Aquiraz, Brazil, 2008

â€œWhat a growing process of life... Our own roles and culture may leave us stagnant, but to give of our own privileges, skills, and hearts will provide for the children and families, and the team too, a reward that I gracefully welcome.â€

-Tamara Faublas, RN, Vassar Brothers Medical Center

For Healing the Children Northeast

Dr. Kavita Aggarwal saying good...Healing the Children Northeast

Dr. Kavita Aggarwal saying goodbye
Santa Marta, Colombia, 2007

â€œThe trip to Santa Marta showed me what life is really all about: Help and understand people. Love and care for people and live life to its full potential. Every little patient and case was a reason enough to be there and everybody had his or her special patient.â€

-Byron Fernandez, MD, Poughkeepsie Medical Group

For Healing the Children Northeast