Rotaplast
Since 2002 Strathcona Sunrise has supported Rotaplast, thus helping to provide free reconstructive surgery to children and adults with cleft lip, cleft palate and burn injuries in developing countries. It began as a project the San Francisco Rotary Club. Since its inception, Rotaplast has grown and by the end of 2003 had treated over 6000 patients.
In 2002 Bent Harder, a long-term member of the Rotary Club of Courtenay, and Janice Thorburn, Rotary Club of Strathcona Sunrise served as non-medical volunteers on a Rotaplast mission to Cebu in the Philippines.
Rotaplast provides:
- Surgical Procedures for cleft lip, cleft palate and burn injuries to children in developing countries.
- Multidisciplinary Care and follow-up with dentistry, speech pathology and counseling.
- Research into the genetic and environmental causes of cleft lip and palate.
- Prevention through counseling of women of childbearing age.
- Training local medical professionals through participation in the mission.
- International Goodwill results due to the joint effort to change the lives of children and their families.


