Through Step2Walk's surgical programs and its Global Institute,
the international nonprofit also trained over 80 local surgeons
from nine countries
DENVER, Aug. 12,
2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Steps2Walk, a global
humanitarian nonprofit that provides surgical treatment for
disabling foot and ankle deformities as well as surgeon education
in under-served regions around the world, today announced the
impact of their Q2 programs. Throughout the quarter, Steps2Walk
volunteers performed more than 100 life-changing surgeries and
provided training to 83 local surgeons. The organization traveled
to Monterrey, Mexico, in April;
Tegucigalpa, Honduras, in May; and
La Paz, Bolivia, and Windhoek, Namibia, in June.
"Collaborating with international
colleagues on these missions is always an enriching experience. I
feel like I become a better surgeon with each program, which
benefits my practice and my patients when I return home." - Dr.
Anish Kadakia
Founded 24 years ago by world-renowned orthopedic
surgeon Dr. Mark Myerson,
Steps2Walk was established to address the surgical needs of those
who need it most: individuals with severe foot and ankle
deformities who live in under-resourced areas of the world and lack
access to orthopedic care.
"Collaborating with international colleagues on these missions
is always an enriching experience," said Dr. Anish Kadakia, a volunteer surgeon with
Northwestern Medicine who attended the Namibia program. "I feel like I become a
better surgeon with each program, which benefits my practice and my
patients when I return home."
The 2024 Q2 programs included:
April 15 – 19:
Monterrey, Mexico, Hospital
Christus Muguerza Alta Especialidad
- Chaired by Dr. Mark Myerson, the
organization returned to Mexico
for the third year. Hosted by Drs. Jaime
Ortiz and Omar Vela, the
week-long program included volunteer surgeons Drs. Gaston
Slullitel, Gabriel Khazen and
Lorenzo Gámez. The mission resulted in the training of 31
registrants and the treatment of 18 patients, including an
8-year-old boy who can now fulfill his dream of playing soccer.
While there, Steps2Walk volunteers also saw patients from their
2023 mission, checking on their progress and recovery.
May 15 – 17: Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Hospital Escuela –
Instituto Hondureño de Seguridad Social
- Dr. Mark Myerson chaired the
mission, with Drs. Ariel Palanca
from San Diego and Rodrigo Diaz from Spain participating in the organization's
first program in the country. Hosted by Dr. Carlos Fortin, Steps2Walk wrapped up this
program after performing 24 surgeries and providing education for
several local residents and surgeons.
June 12 – 14: La Paz, Bolivia, Hospital Arcoiris
- The 2024 program, chaired by Dr. Alberto Macklin from Argentina, marked the nonprofit's third
surgical mission in Bolivia.
Hosted by Dr. Jorge Zabalaga, the
organization trained 32 local surgeons and performed 27 surgeries
on 15 patients with foot and ankle deformities. The team included
volunteer surgeons Drs. Luis Hermida
and Jaime Ortiz from Mexico.
June 10 – 14: Windhoek, Namibia, Windhoek Central
Hospital
- Steps2Walk returned to Namibia
for the sixth time, a country with a high prevalence of clubfoot
(approximately eight in 1,000 children born in Namibia have clubfoot, compared to 1 in 1,000
in the US). Chaired by Dr. Mark
Myerson, Drs. Jacques Jonck
and TK Majojo hosted the 2024 program. The mission's volunteer
surgeons included Drs. Jose Sanhudo (Brazil), Andy
Molloy (UK) and Anish Kadakia
(USA). The team performed 32
surgeries and provided surgical education to 27 program
registrants.
"The dedication of the hospital staff and the resilience of the
patients in Namibia is remarkable,
as is the country's commitment to providing comprehensive care,
including transportation for surgery and post-op care," said
Kadakia. "It is truly inspiring and a model for other nations."
To help change the reality of surgeon education in the countries
Steps2Walk visits, most of which have very few if any orthopedic
surgeons specialized in foot and ankle deformities, the nonprofit
delivers training with an ongoing, sustainable education model made
possible through their Steps2Walk Global Institute.
"We believe educating and training local surgeons will
ultimately translate into helping thousands of patients worldwide,"
said Myerson. "That's at the core of our model and why
we launched the Global Institute earlier this year. Many of
the local surgeons and residents we see are hungry to learn new
techniques so they can support their communities. Ultimately, our
goal is that we'll never need to return to these countries because
they have enough trained surgeons to fulfill their foot and ankle
surgical needs."
Steps2Walk has three programs scheduled for Q3, two of
which occurred in July in Beijing,
China, and Lima, Peru.
Additionally, the team will travel to Uruguay in September to round out the
quarter.
For more information on how to become a volunteer faculty member
or trainee participant in one of the Steps2Walk Programs,
visit https://steps2walk.org/faculty/. Steps2Walk also
accepts donations, which can give the gift of walking to those
most in need and help fund critical training and education for
regional orthopedic surgeons.
About Steps2Walk
Steps2Walk, a 501(c)(3) organization, is an international
network of surgeons working to perform surgical care on individuals
suffering from severe foot and ankle deformities in under-served
regions of the world, while simultaneously educating orthopedic
surgeons in various treatment and care alternatives. Founded by Dr.
Mark Myerson in 2000 to provide a sustainable model of care and
surgical training and to help patients regain their mobility and
improve their quality of life, Steps2Walk envisions a world where
everyone, no matter their circumstances, has access to quality
surgical foot and ankle care. In its eight years of service,
Steps2Walk has completed more than 1,650 surgical operations and
trained more than 1,600 regional surgeons in over 24 countries
around the globe. By investing time into educating local surgeons
and revisiting countries where the need is greatest and the
resources are few, Steps2Walk is creating a lasting impact that
will ultimately give The Gift of Walking to thousands of people
worldwide.
Media Contact
Lee Redding, Steps2Walk, 1
706-537-6596, lee@missionandcause.com, steps2walk.org
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SOURCE Steps2Walk