Of all the work Esperança conducts, none has more dramatic effect than our surgical missions.

Each mission is dedicated to either general surgery or a surgical specialty such as plastic surgery, orthopedic, ophthalmology, pediatric, gynecology, and urology. All operations performed significantly improve quality of life for our patients and in some cases are life-saving. Volunteer surgeons, anesthesiologists and nurses come from throughout the U.S., procuring medical supplies for their mission and paying their own travel expenses. Each team travels 1-2 weeks and accomplishes between 40 and 50 surgeries. Training of local health professionals is an important component of our program.

Esperança provides the surgical clinics that host these missions with donated medical supplies and equipment. A typical shipment is worth an estimated value of more than $1 million.

Countries Served: Nicaragua and Bolivia

Last year, Esperança’s sent 16 volunteer surgical teams who performed 1014 free surgeries at an estimated in-kind value of $2.9 million dollars. They were treated for severe burns, cleft palates, injuries and deformities, goiters, hernias, and tumors. Over $2.1 million dollars of needed medical goods were donated to local clinics and hospitals.