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Occhipinti’s foundation first brought Scarling Cabrera – known as “Baby Scarling” — and her mother here for free surgery last fall by Brian Campolattaro, a pediatric ophthalmologist, at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary on 14th Street in Manhattan.
Campolattaro restored her sight in both eyes during that trip.
Now she is returning for a procedure that Occhipinti said will “realign her eyes and maximize her binocularity. This will enable Baby Scarling to have more control over her eye movements.”
Occhipinti heads to the DR next Wednesday. He, Baby Scarling and her mother are due back here a week from Sunday, with pre-operative care to begin the following day.
Surgery is set for April 3.
Five days later, the girl and her mother will return home, Occhipiniti said.
Joseph Occhipinti with Baby Scarling, her mom and NPDF Delegate Jose Zhanay (far right)
The mission is part of “Operation Kids,” a child safety initiative of the National Police Defense Foundation that has made surgery possible for critically and severely handicapped children worldwide.
Occhipini said he learned of Baby Scarling while on a March mission to the Dominican Republic with Campolattaro.
The surgeon was unable to help her there, Occhipinti said, but believed he could successfully complete the work in the United States.
The NPDF “agreed to secure the necessary visas and fund the entire cost of travel, lodging and related expenses,” Occhipinti said.
The NPDF is primarily dedicated to providing medical and legal support services to law enforcement officers in a dozen countries.
But it also operates “Operation Kids,” which distributes free fingerprint kits to parents, posts rewards for missing children and runs the medical-care missions.
“We’ll fly anywhere in the world for a critically ill baby for a life-saving operation,” Occhipinti said.
Corporate sponsorships and other benefactors help fund operations for the 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation.
(SEE: National Police Defense Foundation)
Occhipinti said he considers himself blessed by “the good will of the hospitals, doctors and donors” who have footed the bill for the missions, the treatment and other expenses. This “gives each one of these children a chance to enjoy a normal life,” he said.
It’s only fitting that a police-related organization does this work, Occhipinti said.
After all, he said, “police have always had a special love for protecting children.”
PHOTOS: Courtesy NATIONAL POLICE DEFENSE FOUNDATION
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