EARTHWIDE SURGICAL FOUNDATION
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Mission Statement
Provide surgical care to the poor of the world by means of manpower, equipment and education
About This Cause
Belief: Earthwide Surgical Foundation’s Upper Hand in Healing the Hopeless Belief is a strange thing. It takes many forms, is derived from various sources and inspires a nbv Some of the most monumental events in world history have been sparked by a clash in group beliefs, while every single innovator I’ve ever admired has gone about making a difference based on belief in a clear creed and sense of purpose. Belief typically has no place in the science and biological concreteness of medicine. But at Earthwide Surgical Foundation, belief drives so much of what we do. I started this journey based on a set of personal beliefs, individuals have joined the effort or contributed thanks to their belief in our mission, and belief sustains us and our patients to overcome the most daunting challenges and obstacles. Belief is the lifeblood of Nigerian Christian Hospital (NCH) and fuels our progress in helping people from all across the country. A belief that we can do the impossible is perhaps the most core tenet of our organization and efforts. I enjoy taking on the most complex, confounding and risky surgical cases – ones that no other surgeons can or will take on, from massive tumors of the maxilla to giant ovarian cysts to fibrous dysplasia. Even in the most rural, underdeveloped parts of Nigeria, we can accomplish anything, as long as we equip ourselves with the necessary confidence, courage, technical skills and drive. I think about Godstime, a 7-year-old boy whose father brought him to the hospital with an abdominal mass the size of a Thanksgiving turkey that had been growing since birth and was preventing him from eating. We found and removed a giant cystic kidney and have enabled Godstime to live a remarkably normal life with his family. I think about Amarachi, a woman who had cancer in both breasts, for which we had to proceed with excision of the malignant recurrence on the right side, leaving a gaping hole. In order to cover the inordinately large wound, I decided in the moment – with Amarachi still on the operating table – that we should try a transverse rectus abdominis (TRAM) flap. It was a procedure I had never attempted before and it certainly wasn’t the most obvious route, but we believed in the payoff, went for it and were able to heal her completely. I think back about Catherine, a patient who came to us with pancreatic cancer, resulting in the dire need for a Whipple procedure-pancreaticoduodenectomy – an undertaking that is as complicated and rare as it sounds. The operation was one of the rare successful Whipple procedure ever in Nigeria, and quite possibly the entirety of West Africa. None of these success stories, as well as countless others, would’ve been possible without belief. On problematic cases like these, I often ruminate for a few days until inspiration strikes me, allowing me to see the whole process of the surgery and formulate a plan of attack. Having the certainty that inspiration will come and that our non-traditional methods will ultimately help these near-hopeless patients is belief in and of itself, but it’s not where our belief ends. Earthwide also believes that, while a visiting surgeon like myself can handle seven or eight operations per day and thousands of cases over decades of trips abroad, the real impact stems from teaching local Nigerian surgeons and staff, and equipping them to serve their own communities. As background, Nigerian surgeons often don’t have the opportunity to learn, grow their skillsets and become adept in taking on such extreme cases. Since Earthwide began performing procedures, we’ve had chiefs of surgery, attendings, residents nurse anesthetists, technicians and others visiting our hospital to observe, absorb and gain invaluable experience. It is that collective experience, knowledge and overall improvement in quality of care that will truly make a difference in the future, long after I’m gone. We believe in the lasting power of teaching, sharing, problem-solving, thinking outside the box, perseverance and giving everything we have so that future generations of Nigerians (and all peoples) can live a better life. At the present, Nigerian Christian Hospital draws so many of the toughest cases; we see referrals from all over the country. My dream is for there to be enough surgical talent and experience spread around the nation that NCH no longer has to be the only shot that some patients have at survival. We believe that dream is achievable. The work that we do wouldn’t be possible without generous support and contributions from institutions, family and friends, which all springs from belief in these realities about Earthwide. In addition, none of this work would be possible without the support of the International Health Care Foundation-“our Mother institution”. • We have a lone surgeon (myself), but we’ve been able to amass a body of work that equals what 10 surgeons would be able to accomplish in the U.S. Rarely has a charity been able to run an operation as lean as ours and do more with less. In fact, we run one of the most efficient and effective hospitals in Nigeria. All of that takes place in a singlel room with two operating tables, upon which hundreds of lives have been saved and some of the most unsettling defects man has ever endured have been corrected. • On every trip, we’re able to generate good revenue for NCH, which allows the hospital to be self-sustaining and keep the lights on. If we were to skip just one year’s worth of trips, the hospital and its workforce of 200 employees might simply go under. • We know the precise equipment we need and exactly how we’ll spend our financial donations. We don’t spend on frivolous things, and every single dollar goes directly into patient care. If we need a broncoscope, we’ll find a way to get a broncoscope. If we need a urology consultant or pediatric surgeon to assist, we figure out a way to get them involved and paid. There’s no bait and switch and there’s not a penny wasted. • Social and cultural intricacies exist in the region and we know how to navigate them all, including how they weave into religion, politics, history and medicine. We are committed to breaking down many of the more dated or disproven conventions, to reinvent medicine and trust in native surgeons in this developing part of the world. While we continue to make progress on that front, we’ve had the privilege of earning the trust of the local tribes, to the extent that I’ve received chieftain status and been given the title “Dibia Oha 1” – “The #1 Doctor for All the Patients.” Since 1999, I’ve taken more than 35 trips to Nigeria. For all intents and purposes, I’ve retired from practicing medicine in the States to focus on our work abroad. I don’t say that to elicit pity; I raise it as proof that I’ve believed from the very beginning that what we do is of critical importance. What started as a dream (of Dr. Farrar) and an effort to heal just a few of our brothers and sisters who need it most has grown into one of the most forward-thinking, intrepid medical operations in the world – a mountain of good standing on a foundation of belief. It is our unwavering belief that has gotten us to where we are today, it is what will carry us forward, and we cannot thank our supporters enough for thei