Ramya had learned to cover her smile with her hand. Born with a cleft lip, she spoke carefully and often avoided answering questions aloud. At school, she chose silence. When her mother brought her to Ishwar Chander Hospital in Hyderabad that morning, the expectation was modest. They were not looking for dramatic change, but for clearer speech, easier eating, and the confidence to meet a question without hesitation.
There were many like Ramya who arrived that day. The cases varied—congenital facial differences, post-burn scarring, hand deformities, injuries left untreated for years—but the barriers were the same: cost, distance, or simply not knowing where to turn. The free plastic and reconstructive surgery camp, a signature project of the Hyderabad Greenlands Lions Club, District 320D, has been addressing these barriers, for over two decades. The camp brings together skilled hands, medical resources, and careful coordination to meet a long-standing need.
This year’s camp, inaugurated on January 23, 2026, at Ishwar Chander Hospital, saw one hundred underprivileged patients registering for corrective plastic surgeries.
Two medical specialists from the United States have been the backbone of this initiative for the last twenty years: renowned plastic surgeon Dr. Sudarshan Reddy and anaesthesiologist Dr. Bhavani Prasad. Each year they travel to India at their own expense to provide free surgical care and financial support to the hospital.
Their combined annual contribution, which includes travel and institutional assistance, amounts to nearly ₹60 lakh, enabling the camp to function at a scale that would otherwise be difficult to sustain.
This year’s program also included an orthopaedic component, with ten free knee replacement surgeries led by Dr. Kasab. Supporting them are a committed local medical team and Lions volunteers who coordinate patient care, logistics, and follow-up. Special mention must be made of Club President Madhukar Swamy, Dr. Vidya Bhushan; and Dr. Gulab Rani, whose association with the camp spans nearly three decades. Their steady leadership has ensured that the initiative remains responsive to patient needs year after year.
