UCLA Operation Mend is a groundbreaking program that serves military men and women who have severe facial and other medical injuries.
Started in 2007, the program provides injured soldiers with access to top plastic and reconstructive surgeons, plus medical and mental health support for the soldiers and their families. In 2007, the program's goal was to provide facial reconstruction. Since then, it has expanded to help soldiers heal not only their bodies, but also their minds and spirits.
To date, the organization has helped 82 brave men and women recover from injuries sustained while serving our nation.
Program manager, Melanie Gideon, and Army captain and patient, James Barclay, share stories of lives changed by Operation Mend.
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Selected Podcast
Operation Mend: The Stories of Injuried Soldiers
Featuring:
Concurrently, she co-lead a team of support services consultants on a pilot project to improve service line processes during Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center's transition period.As the Program Manager for Operation Mend, Melanie leads a multidisciplinary team that includes administrative staff, physicians, and clinical support teams, as well as various support services staff throughout UCLA Health System. She collaborates with an entire spectrum of departments including Finance, Media Relations, Fund Development, Marketing, Operations, and Information Technology. Additionally, Melanie actively works with external military health system personnel and key leaders nationwide in support of UCLA Operation Mend and its expansion.
Melanie Gideon & James Barclay
Melanie A. Gideon is the Program Manager for UCLA Operation Mend, a unique partnership between UCLA Health System, Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) in San Antonio, Texas, and the VA-Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System. The program was established in 2007 to help treat U.S. military personnel who were severely wounded during service in Iraq and Afghanistan. The project aims to combine the best of the military's resources with the tremendous skills of UCLA Health System and continues to serve as a model for other medical institutions interested in helping wounded service members and their family members. Melanie graduated from Indiana University in Bloomington in 2004 with a bachelor's degree in biological sciences, minors in public health and psychology, and a concentration in pre-optometry. She received her master's degree in health services administration from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor in 2008 and was the first administrative intern for UCLA Health System's Chief Operating Officer. In that role, her primary focus was performance and quality improvement initiatives in operations management for the Bowyer Oncology Clinic.Concurrently, she co-lead a team of support services consultants on a pilot project to improve service line processes during Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center's transition period.As the Program Manager for Operation Mend, Melanie leads a multidisciplinary team that includes administrative staff, physicians, and clinical support teams, as well as various support services staff throughout UCLA Health System. She collaborates with an entire spectrum of departments including Finance, Media Relations, Fund Development, Marketing, Operations, and Information Technology. Additionally, Melanie actively works with external military health system personnel and key leaders nationwide in support of UCLA Operation Mend and its expansion.