ABOUT US -- View Video on PLASTICOS FOUNDATION

The Founding Volunteers: Left to right: Larry Nichter, President & CEO, Tim Glassett, Secretary & Fundraising, Ruthann Burns, Administrator & Travel Facilitator, Bob Burns, Treasurer, Denise Cucurny, Director of Operations and Jed Horowitz, Vice president.

Buddhists have a saying that expresses the essence of Plasticos Foundations' philosophy: Give me a fish, and I eat for a day. Teach me to fish, and I eat for a lifetime. In accordance with this philosophy, Plasticos team members often work under difficult and primitive conditions correcting deformities such as cleft palates, webbed hands or feet, burn scars, tumors, etc. And of equal or even greater importance, as they operate, they simultaneously train local surgeons, anesthesiologists and nurses in reconstructive surgical techniques and patient care, so their work can continue long after the team has gone.

MISSION STATEMENT To provide reconstructive plastic surgical training and care to those in need, regardless of their ability to pay, and to advance the field of Plastic Surgery through education and research.

GOALS

To improve the lives of others through Plastic Surgery, we will provide direct reconstructive plastic surgical care worldwide, primarily to children in need. Through our intervention, we will enhance the lives of those with correctable deformities. Whenever possible we will train and assist surgeons in host countries in the art of Plastic Surgery, enabling them to carry on this work. We seek to advance the field of Plastic Surgery through training, research, and public education. To this end, we will establish host-country medical alliances, domestic patient care and educational programs.

VALUES

We believe all individuals, especially the young, negatively affected by correctable deformities deserve to be made whole. Through direct care, training, research and public education, we will use Plastic Surgery as the reconstructive vehicle to mold and shape these lives. We believe that we enrich our own lives in direct proportion to how much we benefit those less fortunate than ourselves and empower others to do the same.

VISION

The Plasticos Foundation strives to be an enduring philanthropic plastic surgical organization based on humanitarian goals and values intrinsic to our mission. We want to improve the lives of others through our services, which include direct patient care, education, research and the advancement of plastic surgery. This will be made possible by the help, generosity and fund-raising activities of those who share this vision.