2025年來到了尾聲，我帶著由蔡醫師以及東南亞善心人士捐贈的唇顎裂手術器械，再次來到印度。這次，也邀請了同樣是老同學的適萍護理師同行，一起協助另一位同學 —— Dr. Sam，完成他唇顎裂與顱顏中心建置計畫的第一階段。
從當年他來到台北，學習唇顎裂與顱顏外科的進階技術，到如今返回自己服務的慈善醫院，將更成熟的手術觀念與治療能力帶回低資源地區，這一路其實經歷了許多年的累積與努力。
這段期間，我們不只持續透過線上討論病例與手術規劃，也曾一起在印度完成手術交流，甚至前往柬埔寨金邊，觀察其他低資源醫療環境下的唇顎裂治療模式與手術系統運作。
其實在上一次見面時，我便已知道他申請的國際唇顎裂組織計畫正式通過。
而這一次，我們除了將最完整的唇顎裂器械正式交付給他，也完成了多台示範手術，並針對手術室流程、器械配置與顱顏手術系統，進行了一系列的手術室優化課程與教學。
我始終相信，好的器械、穩定的系統與持續的教育，才能真正建立長久而可靠的外科治療能力。
離開前，我忽然想起當年教我腭瘻管修復的老教授曾對我說過的一句話：
「你身為外科醫師的唇顎裂旅程，現在才真正開始。」
轉眼之間，許多事情也真的慢慢開始在不同國家生根。
2025年的耶誕節，我在印度。
而我感到非常開心。
As 2025 comes to an end, I returned to India carrying cleft lip and palate surgical instruments donated by Dr. Choi and generous supporters from Southeast Asia. This time, I was joined by Nurse Shih-Ping, also a longtime classmate, as we worked together to help complete the first phase of Dr. Sam’s cleft and craniofacial center project.
Years ago, Dr. Sam came to Taipei to learn advanced cleft lip, palate, and craniofacial surgical techniques. Today, he has returned to the charitable hospital where he serves underprivileged patients, bringing back more refined surgical skills and a stronger reconstructive framework to a low-resource medical environment.
Throughout this journey, we have continuously collaborated through online surgical discussions and case planning. Beyond virtual meetings, we have also operated together in India and even traveled to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, to observe cleft care systems and surgical practices in other resource-limited regions.
In fact, during our previous meeting, I already knew that his proposal for an international cleft organization had officially been approved. This time, after formally handing over a complete set of advanced cleft surgical instruments, we also carried out multiple live surgical demonstrations and organized operating room optimization courses focusing on surgical workflow, instrumentation systems, and craniofacial surgical setup.
I have always believed that sustainable surgery is not built on individual operations alone, but on proper instruments, stable systems, and continuous education.
Before leaving, I was reminded of something once said to me by the senior professor who taught me palatal fistula repair:
“Your journey in cleft surgery as a surgeon has only just begun.”
Over the years, I have slowly begun to understand what he truly meant.
Christmas 2025 finds me in India,
and I feel genuinely happy.