Fred Lee's Social Network: Bring Back Hope raises $1.8M
Published Jun 17, 2017 • Last updated Jun 18, 2017
Philanthropist Gary Segal feted spinal surgeons Rick Hodes and Ohbena Boachie-Adjei at the fundraising dinner for their transformative work in Ethiopia and Ghana, respectively. The Segal family showed the way with a $120,000 gift to ignite the Bring Back Hope gala.
PHOTO BY FRED LEE /Postmedia News
The Segal family’s giving way continues.
Following the record success of Lorne Segal’s Courage to Come Back Awards — which generated a record $1.6 million for mental health a few weeks back — this time it was his brother Gary Segal’s turn to create some magic. And what a night of wonder it was.
His gala evening to Bring Back Hope, which he created with his wife Nanci, raised an astonishing $1.8 million, nearly doubling the couple’s efforts in 2012 when the party made its debut.
After being introduced 10 years ago to surgeon Dr.Rick Hodes and one of his complex spine patients Tesfaye — a TB-deformed Ethiopian brought to Vancouver for life-saving surgery — the couple was compelled to do more to support Hodes.
Hodes, medical director for the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, has been providing to Ethiopians for the past quarter century, devoting his personal and professional life to Ethiopia’s sick and poor.
Now backed by UBC’s medical faculty and branch for international surgical care, 11 reported trips to the underserved region supported by the likes of doctors Robert Taylor, Brian Westerberg and John Street has further provided life-altering care to thousands and education to the next generation of medical staff working in the low-resource, landlocked country.
Hundreds once again filled the Vancouver Convention Centre to celebrate and support the surgical care Hodes and fellow surgeon Ohbena Boachie-Adjei have been providing in Ethiopia and Ghana, respectively.