June 8, 2004, Encinitas, CA - Fresh Start Surgical Gifts announces a partnership with the Center for Surgery of Encinitas to benefit more children and young adults with physical deformities. Fresh Start provides free surgery and related medical services to children with physical deformities from financially disadvantaged families seven times per year during Surgery Weekend.

"This is the first key step in realizing our dream of serving more children," says Dr. Steve Beal, Fresh Start President of the Board. "With three operating rooms and a larger facility, we now have the infrastructure to bring in more volunteer physicians, nurses, and medical personnel, which in turn allows us to increase the number of patients we serve," notes Dr. Beal. Fresh Start brings patients to San Diego to better control medical care and facilities, handle multi-procedure and complicated cases, and to let medical volunteers work closer to home and family. Fresh Start is also one of the only non-profits to serve U.S.-based patients.

"It’s a natural fit for us," remarks Chris Clinton, Chief Administrator at the Center for Surgery. "We have one of the area’s top ambulatory surgery centers, and also many of us have been Fresh Start volunteers over the years, and are well-aware of their tremendous mission. We are very pleased to be the new "home base" for and key sponsor of Fresh Start’s Surgery Weekends."

"Typically about 50% of our patients are from the U.S.," says Shari Brasher, Fresh Start’s CEO and Executive Director. "However, we expect that number to grow since it has become commonplace for insurance companies to consider reconstructive procedures to correct physical deformities as cosmetic surgery and deny coverage." Today, approximately seven per cent of American children are born with pediatric deformities and congenital defects. And many other disadvantaged children suffer from physical deformities caused by abuse, accidents, or disease.

Not only are the children’s outward appearances improved as a result of Surgery Weekend, but even more incredible is the positive psychological effect that it has on them. An increased sense of self-worth and acceptance by their peers makes Fresh Start children eager to participate in school and community activities. Corrective surgeries drastically improve mental health, self-esteem, peer-relations, and academic success. As confident individuals, these children are now equipped to go on to live happy and successful lives.

Some of the children to receive medical care this Surgery Weekend include:

Many surgeons, dentists, health care professionals, and other volunteers are donating their time to help alter the course of these children’s lives. The donated medical services will include surgeries, laser treatments, speech therapy, consults and evaluations. All surgeries will be performed on a no-cost basis to our patients, many of whom lack the financial resources or possess insufficient insurance to cover these often complex procedures.

About Fresh Start Surgical Gifts
Fresh Start Surgical Gifts has provided over $9,000,000 of free reconstructive surgery and related medical services primarily to children who suffer from physical deformities caused by birth defects, accidents, abuse, or disease. For more information about Fresh Start Surgical Gifts please visit www.freshstart.org or call Steve Edwards at 760-944-7774, ext. 15.

About Center for Surgery of Encinitas
The Center for Surgery of Encinitas is a free-standing, multi-specialty JCAHO accredited ambulatory surgery center with three operating rooms and one special procedure room.  It has been serving the community since 1989. For more information about the Center for Surgery, please call Chris Clinton at 760-942-8800.

Sponsors of the June Surgery Weekend

Garth Brooks Teammates for Kids Foundation

Rubio's, Einstein's, Passage to India, Today's Pizza