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About Us / Mission


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About Us
 
Our Mission
Fresh Start Surgical Gifts transforms the lives of disadvantaged infants, children, and teens with physical deformities caused by birth defects, accidents, abuse, or disease through the gift of reconstructive surgery and related healthcare services.
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Our Vision
Fresh Start's vision is to build a community of volunteers committed to seeing that every child with a physical deformity is given the opportunity to have a positive self-image, thereby enriching the lives of both the receiver and giver.
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What We Do
Fresh Start is one of the most devoted organizations that helps children. We host six Surgery Weekends annually where volunteer medical professionals transform the lives of children with deformities through reconstructive surgery. Dental Clinics serve children requiring more complex dental procedures outside the scope of a Surgery Weekend. Dental Clinics are held 13-14 times annually and serve 15-30 children at each Clinic with services ranging from restorative and orthodontic work done for children with cleft lip or palate to fillings and more basic care.

Fresh Start’s one-of-a-kind comprehensive approach to medical treatments also includes Laser Clinics and a Speech Therapy Clinic – all of our complementary medical treatments are provided to patients during the interim between Surgery Weekends or on the Sunday of a Surgery Weekend. Our Laser Clinics treat patients afflicted with deformities such as port wine stain and burns and also reduces the appearance of scars created by reconstructive surgery. Many of the children we serve with craniofacial disorders, such as cleft lip and palate, require speech therapy in order to regain their ability to speak audibly and correctly.

Fresh Start patients often require extensive follow up and years of surgeries and medical services until the best medical outcome has been reached. Fresh Start maintains long-term medical relationships with patients and follow-up surgeries – our average cleft lip and palate patient, for example, requires seven years of dental care and approximately 49 treatments until the best possible medical outcome has been reached.
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Facts

Since incorporation in 1991, Fresh Start has provided over $22 million worth of free medical services

In total, over 5,900 children have received fresh starts

On average, 60 patients receive Fresh Start's medical treatments at each Surgery Weekend

Over 500 volunteers help Fresh Start run its medical programs each year

Patients come from across the US and around the world, but all surgeries and medical treatments are provided in San Diego, CA

Once you are a Fresh Start patient, you are always a Fresh Start patient. Fresh Start provides treatments for as long as it is needed - some of our patients have received care for more than 15 years

Fresh Start's approach to care is multi-disciplinary. In addition to reconstructive surgery, we also provide dental procedures, laser treatments, and speech therapy

Fresh Start's Foundation, launched in 2005, allows 100% of contributions to go directly to Fresh Start's medical programs