Board Member Rhiana Menen led her first camp this year after 4-5 camps with Terry Dunn and Richard Godfrey. She brought six new volunteers, including Dr. Tiesha, who is becoming a breast specialist, and who teamed up to provide 34 surgeries; and Lydia, who brought surgical instruments to donate with her and is joining a committee of MFK and Tiba partners to develop palliative care services. Friendships were evident between the US volunteers and Matibabu staff as they expressed appreciation for each other at the final camp party. Tiba appreciates Dr. Rhiana Menen, Dr. Teisha Shiozaki, Timothy Light, Lydia Van Winkle, Krysta Hughs, Nicole Formenti (photographer), and Mia Formenti.

FIGS brought five medical professionals and several support staff to serve at Matibabu Hospital in June 2021. The community benefited from 316 services provided at no charge health, dentistry and outpatient care. The FIGS professionals conducted six lectures at the Matibabu College of Health Sciences, building the capacity of future healthcare leaders in Kenya. Our appreciation to the following medical volunteers: Ali Rodriguez, Hamza Gaj, Julian Smith, Bri Torgerson, Erica Wigdor and the FIGS staff: Lyndsey Freyer, Allison Hughes, Ruthie Schorr, Mary Schoneman, and Sam Pepke.

For over a decade Dr. Ram Ramachandra & Dr. Ahmed Alkoraishi have led a surgical camp to provide support for Matibabu patients. For several years Dr. Michael Mellenthin added his anesthetist skills to complement the team.

This year Dr. Alkoraishi and Dr. Michael Mellenthin along with returning plastic surgeon Linda Waters and long-time volunteers Tennille Parsons and Eva Vocal offered the camp without Ram’s presence. In one week they provided over 40 surgeries to the community and offered CME and coaching to the hospital staff and lectures for the perioperative students at the nursing school. This team also leads the design and planning for the new Operating Theater and will be in Kenya for the Open House in January 2024.

A big thank you each one of you- Dr. Ahmed Alkoraishi, Dr. Michael Mellenthin, Tennille Parsons and Eva Vocal! Tiba and Matibabu are blessed to have you!