In 2003 a team of medical volunteers, led by pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. John Ragheb, traveled to Haiti to perform surgery for children with hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus is one of the most common treatable causes of neurological disability and death in the developing world.
Since the initiation of this program in 2003, volunteers from South Florida and across the United States have continued to travel to Haiti. Over 500 children have had surgery to treat their hydrocephalus at no charge to the family. Over 1,000 children have been screened and many other children have been provided aid and diagnostic testing. The ultimate goal of the Hydrocephalus Program is to create a formal neurosurgical training program in Haiti. These first trainees will then hopefully go on to become the teachers of future Haitian neurosurgeons in a formal Haitian-run neurosurgical training program of the future.
Read more about this initiative.