RUMFORD – Bill Dunn, Yarmouth Rotarian and assistant mission director of Rotaplast, spoke to the Rumford Area Rotary Club recently about his trip to Tacna, Peru.

The Mission of Rotaplast International provides free reconstructive surgery and treatment for underprivileged children worldwide, provides education and advances research in the prevention of cleft lip and palate.

Rotaplast developed its programs to integrate Rotary clubs and volunteers with medical professionals and works with clubs and districts throughout the United States and host countries.

Rotaplast International Inc. was founded in 1992 by Dr. Angelo Capozzi and then-Rotary Club President Peter Lagarias in collaboration with the Rotary Club of San Francisco to facilitate a surgical program in La Serena, Chile, to treat children with the cleft lip and palate anomalies who would otherwise not receive surgical intervention.

Since starting the program, there have been 115 missions all over the world serving 10,390 patients, Dunn said.