Dr. Jim N. Brantner

Johnson City Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Jim Brantner, volunteered to start the facility after learning about Fresh Start two years prior. The facility, a 6,000 square foot surgery center, soon became a thriving center for Dr. Brantner's surgical practice and his volunteer weekends with Fresh Start.

Dr. Jim N. Brantner, Medical Director

Dr. Jim Brantner
...
Jim Brantner, MD

Dr. Jim Brantner is the organizer of Fresh Start of Tennessee, a Christian ministry that performs free reconstructive surgery for children in need.
...
"We do free reconstructive surgeries, primarily on children, and it's on people who fall through the cracks in the system," said Dr. Jim Brantner, of East Tennessee Reconstructive Surgery, PC."Anybody that comes in that we think is worthy of getting operated on and doesn't have the financial resources to do it, we will do it.It may take awhile to get them on the schedule, but we will get them there.We have no restrictions on how many we do," said Brantner.About 30-40 volunteers give their time to make each Fresh Start weekend a success.The volunteers include physicians, anesthetists and nursing staff in operating and recovery rooms.High school and college students stuff envelopes to send out information about the weekends."It's kind of interesting to watch on a bright, sunny Saturday afternoon, where people are off and they are in here working for nothing, and they all have smiles on their faces," Brantner said. The Fresh Start surgeries are held on a Saturday about every 6 to 8 weeks."We try to get from 5 to 8 surgical weekends per year," Brantner said."And if we have more kids come in, we just do an extra weekend."I started this organization as a Christian ministry," Brantner said.Brantner's unofficial motto is taken from part of Matthew 25:40, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."I find it hard to think of anyone who qualifies more as 'the least of these' than an underprivileged kid with a physical deformity," Brantner said."To me, this is a Christian witness that we can give to people where it's not just telling them but showing them what God's love is about."We try to have pastors here on the surgical weekends to talk to talk to families ...Hopefully, we can not just make a change for a kid's lifetime, but we can maybe change a family forever."The surgery is the vehicle, but the real mission in our minds is that this is an evangelistic outreach," Brantner said."We want to witness to the families.We want to witness to the kids, and we want to do it with actions." Brantner said he is elated when he sees a positive difference made in the life of a child.He recalls the case of a little girl who had a cleft lip."When we first met her, she wouldn't look at us or say a word," he said.

Dr. Jim Brantner is the organizer of Fresh Start of Tennessee, a Christian ministry that performs free reconstructive surgery for children in need.
...
"We do free reconstructive surgeries, primarily on children, and it's on people who fall through the cracks in the system," said Dr. Jim Brantner, of East Tennessee Reconstructive Surgery, PC. "Anybody that comes in that we think is worthy of getting operated on and doesn't have the financial resources to do it, we will do it. It may take awhile to get them on the schedule, but we will get them there. We have no restrictions on how many we do," said Brantner. About 30-40 volunteers give their time to make each Fresh Start weekend a success. The volunteers include physicians, anesthetists and nursing staff in operating and recovery rooms. High school and college students stuff envelopes to send out information about the weekends. "It's kind of interesting to watch on a bright, sunny Saturday afternoon, where people are off and they are in here working for nothing, and they all have smiles on their faces," Brantner said. The Fresh Start surgeries are held on a Saturday about every 6 to 8 weeks. "We try to get from 5 to 8 surgical weekends per year," Brantner said. "And if we have more kids come in, we just do an extra weekend. "I started this organization as a Christian ministry," Brantner said. Brantner's unofficial motto is taken from part of Matthew 25:40, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. "I find it hard to think of anyone who qualifies more as 'the least of these' than an underprivileged kid with a physical deformity," Brantner said. "To me, this is a Christian witness that we can give to people where it's not just telling them but showing them what God's love is about. "We try to have pastors here on the surgical weekends to talk to talk to families ... Hopefully, we can not just make a change for a kid's lifetime, but we can maybe change a family forever. "The surgery is the vehicle, but the real mission in our minds is that this is an evangelistic outreach," Brantner said. "We want to witness to the families. We want to witness to the kids, and we want to do it with actions." Brantner said he is elated when he sees a positive difference made in the life of a child. He recalls the case of a little girl who had a cleft lip. "When we first met her, she wouldn't look at us or say a word," he said.

Zane Whitson, R-5th District; commercial developer Mitch Cox of Johnson City; and Dr. Jim Brantner, a Johnson City plastic surgeon.