Bring Back Hope | How the Journey Began
On a 2008 trip to Ethiopia Gary Segal met a boy, Tesfaye, who had an extreme deformity in his spine, with no chance for surgery in Africa. After almost a year of diligently working to convince Vancouver General Hospital (VGH) to take on Tesfaye as their first such foreign case, Gary succeeded in sponsoring Tesfaye’s life-saving spine surgery at VGH in 2009. The experience inspired Gary to establish the “Bring Back Hope” (BBH) Initiative to help children in similar circumstances in Africa and support the work of Dr. Rick Hodes, an inspiring humanitarian who has dedicated his entire medical life to helping the most sick and destitute.
BBH, including a newly formed partnership with the UBC Faculty of Medicine Branch for International Surgical Care (BISC), was launched at the inaugural 2012 “An Evening to Bring Back Hope” gala that raised over $1 million. Five years later Gary held another BBH gala – this time raising $2 million in the continued support of Dr. Rick Hodes and the capacity building partnership with the BISC. The deployed funds have had a tremendous impact on improving and saving the lives of young Ethiopians suffering from debilitating spine and heart disease, and on the delivery of trauma care.
The needs are ongoing, and progress continues towards the ultimate goal of establishing an advanced Spine Centre in Ethiopia, that has the capacity and expertise to handle more complex cases within the country. This has the endorsement and support of the Ethiopian Health Ministry, who appreciate and recognize the importance of this spine program for the country. As with the previous two BBH Events, BBH III looks to be a key supporter in advancing this goal.
Meet Dr. Rick Hodes | The Heart + Soul of Bring Back Hope
Living and working in Ethiopia for 35 years, Dr. Rick Hodes is JDC’s Medical Director in Ethiopia who holds clinic in the basement of a crowded public hospital, treating patients with spinal deformities and heart disease, as well as a variety of other rare medical issues. The majority of these patients are impoverished children.
Over the course of his career, Dr. Hodes has forged strong partnerships to bring care to those in need. In 2006, he launched a spine program with Dr. Oheneba Boachie-Adjei of Ghana and his FOCOS organization. The program has grown from 20 patients to over 400 new cases every year, and performs over 100 surgeries annually in Ethiopia, Ghana, and the United States. As the senior consultant at a Catholic medical mission, Dr. Hodes has worked with refugees in Rwanda, Zaire, Tanzania, and Albania. He also works with the cardiac center at AIMS Amrita Hospital in Cochin, India to serve cardiac patients.
Dr. Hodes is a CNN Hero, holds five honorary doctorates, and was awarded Mastership by the American College of Physicians. To learn more about his inspiring work, you can watch one of the four documentary films about him, such as HBO’s “Making the Crooked Straight” or “Zemene,” or read Marilyn Berger’s book, “This is a Soul: The Mission of Rick Hodes.”
Philanthropy is a love of humanity
Gary Segal has traveled extensively and notes that doing so has played a positive role in his philanthropy.“It has been an education like no other. Interacting with different cultures and religions is what it is all about.
Philanthropy is a love of humanity. We are one big world, and I feel energized, grateful, and fulfilled by having my philanthropy directed predominantly locally and significantly globally. There is a responsibility for both. We are one humanity, one world, and we all have similar needs and desires. If you can break through the government noise and prejudice and just relate to one another on a human level – which travel does if you do it right – and break bread with people, that is how you break down barriers and start relating and building bridges.”