Category: Patient Stories

Introducing Emmanuel — he is a young man that had a break of his upper leg.  The Tanzanian residents called our US residents last night and asked if one of them would return to the hospital to assist with Emmanuel’s surgery.  Dr. Josef went back and had a great opportunity to teach!  Emmanuel was an…

Greetings, SOAP Friends, from the shadow of Kili!  Today, I’d like to introduce Frances.   He sustained multiple wounds from a machete, including a very complicated wound to his right hand, that needed orthopedic surgery.  Initially, it was thought that his wound cut the tendons on the back of his hand that serve to extend…

Hello again, SOAP Friends! Today, I’d like you to meet Magdalena. She had an accident that left her with two broken legs. She was able to pay for the surgery on her left leg, but then was unable to pay for the surgery on the right leg. This was the week before our team arrived,…

I’d like you to meet another SOAP patient— Tumaini. This young man had a broken femur (upper leg bone) that required surgical treatment, but he did not have the money to pay for his surgery. Through your generous support, SOAP was able to fund the surgery that Tumaini needed! A rod was placed in his…

Please meet our friend, Happyson! He is a 15 year old young man who suffered a complicated left elbow break. Dr. Ani and Dr. Josef led a great teaching surgery to repair Happyson’s injury. Here is a photo of Happyson after his surgery, flanked by Dr. Ani on the left and Dr. Josef on the…

Our team that will be here in Tanzania for the whole month have all arrived! Introductions are in order! We have SOAP Board Chair, Bobby Erdin; SOAP Executive Director, Jennifer Erdin (typing); and two awesome chief residents— Dr. Ani Gowd, a 5th year resident at Wake Forest who will be doing a Spine Fellowship next…