Surgeons With A Mission.
For nearly 6 years, Canadian-trained surgeon Dr. Jesh Thiessen lived with his wife and children in underserved communities in Burundi, Togo and Madagascar. They sought to transform communities through improved surgical care and training. Surgery Helps exists to continue to expand access to quality surgical care by bridging resource-limited communities with those who can truly help.
Together, we can see lives and communities changed for the better.
Compelled Into Action.
OUR WORK
The Doctors Behind Surgery Helps.
OUR SURGEONS
Dr. Marco Faniriko
MD, FCS (ECSA), Head & Neck Surgeon
Dr. Marco Faniriko, born and raised in Madagascar, pursued his medical education at the University of Mahajanga. With a passion for missionary work, he trained in general surgery through the PAACS program at Bongolo Hospital in Gabon. In 2017, he completed his training and ventured to Cameroon for a Head and Neck Fellowship. Despite challenges, he returned to Madagascar in 2018 as the country's first trained head and neck surgeon. Since then, he's served in various roles, including directing a Lutheran hospital and now at the Good News Hospital in Mandritsara, where he trains surgical residents through the PAACS program. Dr. Faniriko is committed to nurturing skilled and compassionate surgeons for Madagascar.
Dr. Alliance Niyukuri
MD, FCS (ECSA), Pediatric Surgeon
Dr. Alliance Niyukuri, trained in Gabon, completed his General Surgery training in 2018 through the Pan African Academy of Christian Surgeons. Following this, he pursued a 3-year Fellowship in Pediatric Surgery in Malawi. Witnessing the pressing need for quality surgery in his homeland, he and his family returned to Burundi in December 2023. As one of the few qualified pediatric surgeons in Burundi, he expressed his vision: "I envision that through our work, surgical capacity grows in Burundi, and that all members of my community, especially the poorest, access good quality surgery... delivered on time, safely, and affordably." Supported by his remarkable wife, Dr. Alliance is dedicated to serving his country's people.
Dr. Jeshiah Thiessen
BSc. EET, ASc. Bio, MD, FRCSC, FCS (ECSA), General Surgeon
Dr. Jeshiah Thiessen, a Canadian-trained general surgeon, completed his residency at Queen's University in 2017. After language training, he worked in Burundi and Togo with the Samaritan's Purse Post Residency program. In 2021, he moved to Madagascar to help launch the Pan African Academy of Christian Surgeons' residency program. Following this, he returned to Canada, where he now resides in Northern Ontario with his family, running Surgery Helps. He continues to engage in global surgery through Fellowship Aid and International Relief.
OUR GOAL
Living Our Life, So Others Can Live
EMPOWER
By empowering and resourcing surgeons, more patients will receive life-changing surgery paired with compassionate surgical care. Special funding is also being provided for patients in the most critical situations who could not otherwise afford the surgical care they need.
RESOURCE
In order to support surgeons working in under-resourced settings, we are networking to bring funding and supplies. We seek to bridge the divide in accessibility of critical supplies and financial support to those in remote and challenging locations.
HEAL
Through strategic partnerships, we come alongside qualified surgeons in under-resourced regions of the world who are reaching their communities will surgical skill, quality care and surgical training. Recognizing the need for surgeons in underserved communities, we are enabling these board-certified national surgeons to provide safe and affordable surgical care.
The Journey To Surgery Helps
OUR HISTORY
Your Support Matters.
“Let us not grow weary of doing good” - Galatians 6:9