Humanitarian Efforts

Dr. Fechner is committed to providing state-of-the-art plastic and reconstructive surgery and related services to disadvantaged children and adults, both abroad and here in Massachusetts.

For such humanitarian causes, Dr. Fechner traveled with a team of five facial plastic and reconstructive surgeons from throughout the United States to Hanoi, Vietnam in November 2007. Under the Face to Face program of the AAFPRS Foundation, he provided plastic surgery services to both pediatric and adult patients. Procedures performed by the team included both congenital and acquired facial abnormalities. Among others, the plastic surgeons reconstructed undeveloped ears (microtia surgery), performed cleft lip and cleft palate surgery and helped burn victims. In addition, the American plastic surgeons engaged in teaching during a parallel facial plastic surgery conference and in the operating theater to empower the local surgeons to perform facial plastic surgeries themselves in the future.

Dr. Fechner and a group Harvard Head & Neck Surgeons visited St. Petersburg, Russia in order to provide surgical patient care. A goal of this ongoing mission is to establish a close working relationship with local physicians in the quest for advanced training and education in facial and neck surgery.

In addition, Dr. Fechner went to Ecuador in order to provide free medical and plastic surgery services to local children and young adults. Under the umbrella of MMFC, a non-profit organization, the medical team consisted of dedicated volunteer surgeons, dentists and nurses who provided reconstructive plastic surgery for congenital deformities of the face. The mission focused on plastic surgical repair of cleft lip and palate defects, nasal deformities secondary to the cleft lip syndrome, ear deformities (microtia), facial burns, facial scaring and facial trauma.

At home, Dr. Fechner participates in Face To Face: National Domestic Violence Project of the American Academy of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. As part of this effort, Dr. Fechner provides pro-bono consultation and plastic surgery to eligible individuals who are not financially able to have injuries and scars of abuse adequately repaired. These endeavors assist individuals, who have become victims of domestic cruelty, in enhancing their self-esteem, and restoring their lives without violence. For more information please visit: www.facetofacesurgery.org

The American Red Cross is the largest humanitarian organization in the United States. Dr. Fechner serves on the Board of Directors of the American Red Cross of Central Massachusetts where he donates his time and funds in support of the vital services this organization serves for its Massachusetts communities and beyond. In addition to responding to disasters within the region, the American Red Cross of Central Massachusetts helps the public anticipate, survive, prevent and recover from disasters. The organization provides extensive public health services and is a leader for public safety awareness. Dr. Fechner encourages his patients to donate their time and money to the American Red Cross (http://www.redcrossworcester.org/donate/).

Dr. Fechner strongly believes that the ultimate goal of humanitarian medical missions should be to empower the local health care profession to provide the services to patients in their communities. This is in contrast to services that make communities abroad rely on surgical and non-surgical services provided by teams of American physicians that travel to the respective country. These conventional missions play an important role for the particular patients served but their long-lasting impact on the society may be limited. For instance, the Association of Midwives of the Mam Area (ACAM) is a unique effort. Goals of ACAM include the promotion of mother and infant health and improve the status of community based Mayan midwives with their rich traditions and experience. Therefore, Dr. Fechner serves as one of the Board of Directors of ACAM. Please visit the ACAM website (http://mayamidwifery-acam-imlusa.org) and consider a donation.

Dr. Fechner provides plastic surgery services of the face to victims of domestic physical abuse throughout Massachusetts including Worcester, Boston, Framingham, Natick, Newton, Wellesley, Shrewsbury, Marlboro (Marlborough), Northboro (Northborough), Westboro (Westborough), Hopkinton, Milford, Leominster, Lawrence, Fitchburg, Springfield, Pittsfield, Longmeadow, Cambridge, Woburn, Lynn, New Bedford among others.