Tattoo Removal Laser ince 1994, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center and the City of San Jose have partnered to offer free tattoo removal services to former gang members as part the Clean Slate Program. Tattoos are a visible part of gang culture, and leave former members marked with the threat of violence and suspicion unless they are removed. The process is not fast or easy, but effective. The VMC Foundation has long played a role in providing equipment and supplies thanks to the generous support of program donors. In 2017, the VMC Foundation purchased a new machine that significantly reduces the time for each tattoo removal. With that efficiency, the program can now provide support to victims of human trafficking who have been “branded” by the perpetrators of this crime.
Pictured: Manpreet Toor, LVN (left), and Dr. Jack Ackerman, Medical Director, Clean Slate Program, demonstrating the device on a test patient
Tattoo Removal Laser
S
13
• IMPACT •