Dr. Bernard Barrett To Join Medical Mission To Cuba

Dr. Bernard M. Barrett, a Houston plastic surgeon who is a clinical professor of surgery at Baylor College of Medicine and founder of the Texas Institute of Plastic Surgery, went to Cuba in January to teach plastic and reconstructive surgery as part of a Physicians for Peace (PFP) mission.

Dr. Barrett, who was in Havana Jan. 30-Feb. 6, demonstrated and lectured on breast cancer reconstruction and other plastic surgical techniques. His daughter, Beverly Barrett, 23, fluent in Spanish and recruiting coordinator at Rice University's school of business, accompanied him and served as PFP's interpreter. The team also included Dr. Richard Hirsch, an Akron, Ohio, radiologist, who brought along mammogram equipment for donation.

"There is a high rate of breast cancer deaths in Cuba, and a major factor is that women there are not having early mammograms," Dr. Barrett says. "Furthermore, when a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, she may be afraid to have surgery, especially if the breast tumor is diagnosed late in the disease process. The goal is early diagnosis with new mammography technologies and treatment of a serious disease."

Dr. Barrett says he was asked to join this mission by world-renowned plastic surgeon Dr. Charles Horton, PFP founder. PFP is an apolitical, nonprofit organization that strives to foster international peace and cooperation by improving health care. The program donates equipment, recruits volunteers for medical missions and sponsors a medical scholars program.

"My goal is to help establish a presence in Cuba for Physicians for Peace, to help open the door for meaningful medical exchanges between that country and the United States," Barrett says. "It's fitting that Houstonians from the Texas Medical Center should accept this challenge."

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Courtesy of Texas Medical Center News

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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