Picture yourself in an unfamiliar and humid environment, surrounded by unfamiliar faces and equipment, with language barriers challenging every interaction. This was how Dr. Patrick Johnston described a “very different” orthopedic operation room in Nang, Vietnam. Yet, amidst the challenges, he remembers a profound sense of honor and purpose. To be able to travel across the world, representing the Yampa Valley, sharing glimpses of home, and being the first connection to our community for those in need is a privilege beyond measure.

“I hope I represented where we live well,” says Dr. Johnston, Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon with Memorial Regional Health and the Steamboat Orthopaedic & Spine Institute.

Dr. Johnston, accompanied by a team of three hand surgeons, a shoulder surgeon, two foot and ankle surgeons, a hand therapist, and a physician assistant, embarked on a Touching Hands mission trip in March to Da Nang Orthopedics and Rehabilitation Hospital. Touching Hands, the outreach arm of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, provided the framework for their endeavor. Throughout the week, the surgical team conducted over 40 surgeries, with a significant portion dedicated to pediatric patients. Dr. Johnston was actively involved in each procedure, either as the surgeon or as a dedicated mentor, sharing his expertise with the Vietnamese providers and staff.

Reflecting on the diversity of cases encountered during the mission, Dr. Johnston shared the surgeries performed were both congenital and traumatic, in the pediatric population. He helped a boy with burn scars on his hand, removed a young girl’s third thumb and fixed a broken elbow from a prior inadequate surgery. Each surgery presented its own unique challenges, but the opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of these children and adult patients was incredibly rewarding.

“You have a wide range of emotions. At times you feel very elated and joyful that you are able to help these children and do things for these patients. You are also sad about some of the cases that you see and some of the treatment that hasn’t been done or done improperly. You also have frustrations based on the fact that they don’t have the efficiencies like we have here in the United States,” said Dr. Johnston.

Considering the different emotions, Dr. Johnston cherished the privilege of directly caring for patients, sharing his knowledge with Vietnamese surgeons and staff, and collaborating with fellow American surgeons. Immersed in Vietnamese culture, he found joy in connecting with families and deepened his appreciation for the local cuisine. His favorite part of the journey? The graciousness of the people he encountered left an everlasting impression. From savoring squid daily to proclaiming the unparalleled deliciousness of pho, each culinary experience was memorable. “The pho is better than anything I have ever had in the United States. I could eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”

Now back at home, Dr. Johnston’s spirit of service and compassion he cultivated in Vietnam remains. He hopes to return to Vietnam on repeated trips and continue his service to the Vietnamese community. Until then, he is looking into ways, with Touching Hands, to ship over equipment, including medical grade saws, sutra, saw blades, properly sized gloves and screws that will make it easier for the Vietnamese surgeons to operate and for him to use when he returns.

“I’m extremely happy to have been born in a country with modern healthcare resources, both as a patient and a practitioner. It makes me grateful for everything I have,” he said.