Ramon Manuel Antillon Rivera, age 6.
By Shaili Patel, (High School Junior with extensive Interface volunteer hours (2023,2024,2025,2026).
InterFace Kids is more than a group of volunteer physicians; it is a community built on compassion, collaboration, and a shared commitment to serving others. During my time with InterFace, I witnessed firsthand how that commitment extends far beyond the operating room, especially when circumstances do not go as planned.
After completing 23 surgeries, the team was wrapping up its final case when unexpected news arrived: due to the approaching Tropical Storm Rachel, the following day’s surgeries would have to be canceled. The team was immediately met with disbelief and disappointment. Each scheduled surgery represented a child and family who had placed their trust in InterFace, often traveling long distances to receive care. However, with no backup generator in Mexicali to keep essential medical equipment running during a potential power outage, patient safety had to come first.
During the calls to notify families, we learned that one child had traveled approximately 15 hours from Chihuahua to receive lip surgery. Knowing that this child and their family faced the possibility of returning home without the procedure was difficult. However, keeping the expected times of the storm in mind, several physicians volunteered to return hours earlier than originally planned to perform the surgery before conditions became unsafe. Despite having already completed a demanding day of surgeries, they were willing to come back early because they recognized the sacrifices this family had made and wanted to do everything they safely could to help.
To me, this moment captured the heart of InterFace Kids. Even when faced with circumstances beyond their control, the team continued to look for ways to care for its patients without compromising their safety. Their willingness to return early demonstrated that their mission was about more than completing surgeries; it was about recognizing the children and families behind each procedure. That day reminded me that InterFace Kids is more than a group of dedicated volunteers; it is a community united by compassion, strengthened through collaboration, and defined by its commitment to helping others.
NOTE: patient Ramon Manuel Antillon Rivera (Blog #4) was initially operated on at a Chihuahua Mexico clinic that Dr West travels to south of El Paso in August 2026. Dr West had a great idea for this child to travel to Mexicali for a further surgery that required more medical team infrastructure. He was sponsored to travel 15 hours from Chihuahua to Mexicali for the second stage operation performed Oct 2026. We were able to complete the surgery on Saturday October 10 despite the early shutdown of the clinic due to Hurricane remnants coming through Mexico and California.
