We believe that every child deserves to have a healthy, normal, happy life free from disfiguring birthmarks. The Vietnam Vascular Anomalies Center (VAC) consists of a group of medical professionals, all seasoned practitioners in their fields, who donate their expertise and time, united by a desire to help children and share their knowledge with their colleagues.
The VAC was started by two physicians who grew up in Vietnam and were keenly aware of the tremendous medical needs among Vietnamese children with disfiguring birthmarks. Their idea was to start a clinic to treat children while simultaneously training Vietnamese physicians in the most current treatments for these conditions. Enthusiastic support came from Dr. Martin Mihm, a renowned medical expert in vascular anomalies who helped create similar clinics in the U.S., Spain, and Italy; Dr. Stuart Nelson, who has extensive clinical experience in laser treatment of vascular lesions; Dr. Rox Anderson, a world-renowned laser treatment specialist and Director of the Wellman Center for Photomedicine; and Candela Corporation, who donated and shipped the lasers to Vietnam. This group traveled to Ho Chi Minh City in February 2009 to establish the first vascular anomalies center in Vietnam.