OCEANSIDE, Calif. (KGTV) — The San Diego chapter of Fresh Start Surgical Gifts and TrueCare Pediatrics Center in Oceanside will host a joint free clinic for kids who need reconstructive surgery on Wednesday, Dec. 13.
The screening clinic will take place from 3 to 5 p.m.
Appointments are not necessary and insurance is not required.
Fresh Start Surgical Gifts and TrueCare are hosting this clinic to give the gift of free reconstructive surgery screenings to low-income families who are unable to afford it.
Families can bring their children under the age of 18 in for free assessments on scheduling corrective surgeries.
Fresh Start Surgical Gifts is a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming the lives of disadvantaged children with physical and cosmetic deformities.
Jill Granquist, Medical Program Director at Fresh Start Surgical Gifts said its surgeons can perform a number of miracle procedures for the kids.
"Cranial facial surgeries, ears can be corrected, cleft lips," Granquist said. "A lot of our kids are born with syndromes. Kids who have deformities to their hands, their feet to their faces, we can help those things."
TrueCare is a prominent healthcare organization serving San Diego's North County.
Sonia Gonzalez, Director of Community Engagement at TrueCare said it's been reaching out to schools, the community, and promoting this free clinic online because many of the families its trying to reach are fearful that they cannot have access to this type of healthcare.
"People worry about how they can qualify," Gonzalez said. "And they worry about their immigration status, their insurance status. A lot of times that fear keeps them from accessing care and reaching out.”
That is why Fresh Start Surgical Gifts and TrueCare are hoping to reach locals who do not have access to insurance that would cover reconstructive surgeries, and the groups wants to help immigrant families as well.
"Fresh Start Surgical Gifts has absolutely no immigration status requirements," Granquist said. "If you are in this country you will be treated. All of our funding is private. We are not obligated to anything with the state or the federal government. That being said, if they are out of the country we do everything to get them here, visa, passport, and so many of TrueCare’s clients fall into that category, so we’re able to reach them locally."
TrueCare said regular clinic hours and services will not be affected by this free clinic.
If you'd like to learn more about TrueCare, you can head to their website here.
The address is as follows: TrueCare Mission Mesa Pediatrics, 2210 Mesa Drive, Oceanside, CA 92054.
