SAN DIEGO – Local San Diego spine surgeons, Dr. Greg Mundis of San Diego Center for Spinal Disorders and Dr. Donald Blaskiewicz of San Diego Neurosurgical Medical Clinic returned to Nairobi, Kenya on March 14th, 2013 in support of The NuVasive Spine Foundation™ (NSF).
Developed and managed by NuVasive®, Inc., NSF is a non-profit organization that is committed to changing lives by bringing world-class surgeons and innovative spine surgery to disadvantaged communities across the globe. To date, the Foundation has made an impact in 15 countries, supported over 30 surgical mission trips, and changed the lives of nearly 200 patients.
Both surgeons along with their spouses, who each happen to be physicians assistants, traveled to Kenya in February and operated on 14 patients. Unable to complete one of these surgeries, the surgical team returned in March traveling 30 hours to spend one day operating on a young female with congenital scoliosis.
“A young girl, Teresia, whom we had operated on previously for a severe congenital spinal deformity, required a second stage to her procedure,” explains Dr. Blaskiewicz. “Since we were unable to complete the second stage during the mission trip in February, Dr. Mundis and I, along with the Foundation, upheld our commitment to Teresia and returned to complete her life-changing surgery.”
Many of the Foundation’s patients live in impoverished communities and are unable to afford the cost of surgery. To sustain the spine care program, surgeons like Dr. Mundis and Dr. Blaskiewicz educate and train local surgeons to develop sustainable practices in these communities.
“The mission trip to Kenya was literally life altering,” said Dr. Mundis. “We were granted the opportunity to help children and adults with the severest spinal deformities find relief from unrelenting pain and hope for the future. In a society where your livelihood depends on your ability to be mobile, and where people with deformities are publicly shunned, the ability to provide children the hope for a normal future is an amazing gift to give.”
Drs. Mundis and Blaskiewicz are both fellowship-trained spine surgeons and specialize in treating adult and pediatric deformity utilizing complex reconstructive techniques including minimally disruptive surgery treatment options. Their collaboration as orthopaedic and neurologic surgeons is unique and offers patients a comprehensive level of care.
Both surgeons are available for interviews regarding their involvement in the NuVasive Spine Foundation.
For more information about the NuVasive Spine Foundation, please click here: www.nuvasivespinefoundation.org
To request an interview please contact: Gavin Renkly (310.351.8371) or ([email protected]).
For all NSF-related media inquiries please contact: Nicole Collins (858.909.1907) or [email protected].
About NSF:
The NuVasive Spine Foundation™ (NSF) is a non-profit organization developed and managed by NuVasive®, Inc., an innovative medical device company focused on developing minimally disruptive surgical products and procedures for the spine. NSF is dedicated to providing life-changing spine surgery to individuals around the world with limited access to high quality medical treatment. The Foundation works with committed surgeons to develop sustainable spine treatment programs and advance the quality of spine care in disadvantaged communities.
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