NIKKI Cares Surgical Mission served a total of 113 indigent patients in San Carlos City.

The beneficiaries underwent minor surgeries, mostly for cyst, during the free medical mission last June held at the Consuelo Alger Community Center.

Dominique “Nikki” Lopez Benitez, the wife of Third District Representative Alfredo Benitez, spearheaded the surgical mission, providing free major and minor surgeries to indigents, a project she has been involved in for the last 20 years covering various provinces in the country.

The two-day surgical mission in San Carlos City brought together nine volunteer doctors to conduct the free surgery from the Calatrava Municipal Hospital, Dr. Regie Horario; Vicente Gustilo Memorial District Hospital in Escalante City, Dr. Felix Dolosa; Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital, Dr. John Kenneth Auguis, Dr. Jamal Angelo Portillo, Dr. Argee Alonsabe; and San Carlos City Hospital, Dr. Regina Alma Quiogue, Dr. Lorenzo Cabalfin, Dr. Renan Sanchez and Dr. Milrose Gambon.

In November last year, Mrs. Benitez brought a team of doctors and nurses from the Makati Medical Center to conduct free surgery in the Third District of Negros Occidental. A total of 301 patients were covered in the three-day major and minor operations conducted by 81 health personnel at the Teresita Jalandoni Memorial Provincial Hospital in Silay City.

In April this year, Nikki Cares reached 168 patients from the fifth and sixth districts of the province.

The free major and minor surgeries were conducted by 57 partner doctors and nurses from the province’s 12 public hospitals.

Nikki Cares is assisted by the Betty Bantug Benitez Foundation with executive director Mary Ann Dino and staff. (PR)