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16 Surgeries, 5 Days: Local Nonprofit Makes Global Impact

 Left. Dr. Pahys (lead) instructing Drs. Oliva, DeLeon and Lopez on lengthening procedure, with 4th year medical student observing. Right. Donated medical instruments and supplies by Stryker. 

 Richmond, VA. June 20, 2024 – World Pediatrics, a Richmond-based nonprofit dedicated to providing pediatric surgical and diagnostic care to children in developing countries, partnered with Stryker, a leading medical technology company, to sponsor a humanitarian trip to Guatemala. Over five days, a team of skilled pediatric spine surgeons performed 16 life-changing spinal surgeries, transforming the lives of numerous children and their families. 

Led by Dr. Stephen Hwang and Dr. Josh Pahys, the team not only delivered expert scoliosis correction surgeries but also worked to establish sustainable infrastructure and training programs for local surgeons. 

“World Pediatrics is committed to improving the lives of children globally. This surgical traveling team demonstrates the powerful results of collaboration between nonprofits, corporate partners, skilled surgeons, and volunteers,” said Andrea Ahonen, Senior VP of Market Development at World Pediatrics. 

“Thanks to Stryker’s generous donations of implants, we have been able to provide surgical treatments to patients with scoliosis, changing lives and bringing hope to numerous families and communities. To date, we have operated on more than 40 patients with these implants. Each one of them has experienced a significant improvement in their quality of life. The correction of severe curves in patients not only improves their physical and mental health but also prevents chronic heart 

and lung pathologies related to the restriction of chest expansion secondary to scoliosis. These donations are crucial for us to continue with our surgeries, as the cost of the screws is one of the main obstacles we face in offering this option to patients without financial resources.” Dr. Andres Cobar, Medical Director of the World Pediatrics Scoliosis Program in Guatemala. 

The trip coincided with Scoliosis Awareness Month, highlighting the disparity in treatment access between the U.S., where scoliosis affects nearly 100,000 children annually, and developing nations, where untreated scoliosis can lead to severe health issues. For more information on supporting World Pediatrics’ scoliosis outreach, visit worldpediatrics.org. 

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About World Pediatrics 

World Pediatrics partners with governments, health workers, and organizations to ensure that children in lower-resource settings have access to safe, timely surgical care. When children are healed, the social and emotional health of families is restored, and the economic productivity of communities is strengthened. 

Learn more at www.worldpediatrics.org. 

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