Our initiative "Growing without Waiting" continues to expand its impact in Chile with a new surgical operation performed in the O'Higgins Region. Thanks to the collaboration between MATER, the O'Higgins Health Service and the medical societies: Chilean Society of Pediatric Surgery and Society of Anesthesiology of Chile, approximately 30 pediatric surgeries of low complexity were performed at the Santa Cruz Hospital, benefiting children on the waiting list for pathologies such as phimosis, abdominal hernias and cryptorchidism.
Surgical Operation in Santa Cruz: Commitment to Children's Health
This is the fifth "Growing Without Waiting" operation in the region, which aims to reduce waiting lists and guarantee timely care for the children who need it most. The operation took place on April 11 and 12 and was carried out by a multidisciplinary team led by doctors Cristián Cavalla and José Antonio Pérez, together with volunteers and specialists in children's surgery and anesthesiology.
The Importance of Public-Private Collaboration in Children's Health
"The joint work between the public and private sectors has been key to provide timely care to children and families who were waiting too long for surgery," says Dr. José Manuel Escala, founder and president of MATER. "This program not only improves the health of patients, but also strengthens the child care networks in Chile, achieving concrete results in a short time."
Expansion of the Initiative in 2024 and 2025
During 2024, "Creciendo sin Espera" benefited more than 250 children in cities such as Rancagua, Ancud, Quellón, Castro and San Felipe. So far in 2025, operations have already been carried out in different localities, making Santa Cruz the ninth city to receive this specialized care so far this year.
A Future with More Opportunities for Children in Chile
With this new operation in Santa Cruz, the initiative continues to advance its mission to transform the reality of Chilean families, ensuring access to timely and decisive surgical interventions. MATER Corporation reaffirms its commitment to build a fairer and more equitable health system for all children in the country.
