SNF honors orthopedist for changing lives through surgery in his native Ghana

At a recent event in New York, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) joined other longtime supporters of the Foundation of Orthopedics and Complex Spine (FOCOS) in celebrating its founder, Dr. Oheneba Boachie-Adjei, for his dedication to changing lives through surgery in his native Ghana. Founded in 1998, FOCOS performed thousands of complex surgeries and offered orthopedic care to more than many tens of thousands of people in West Africa under the leadership of Dr. Boachie, who recently retired.

SNF Senior Program Officer Roula Siklas observed that “it takes a village” to carry out complex work like reaching people who would not otherwise have access with free medical care. “But as we know, each village needs its leader - the one with the clear vision, the fortitude to stay on the path toward that vision, and the ability to bring everyone along on that journey: Nana Professor Dr. Oheneba Boachie-Adjei Woahene II, leader not just by name, but by deed. Thank you for being that leader, for bringing all of us, and so many more, with you.  It has been amazing, and we hope, for you and the FOCOS team, that the journey is a long one, that you and all of your partners in this work move forward with the same clarity of vision, courage to persevere, and generosity of spirit that have brought you this far.”

The event also featured a message from orthopedic surgeon Dr. Takis Koulouvaris, whose work leading SNF-supported Mobile Medical Units across Greece was in many ways inspired by Dr. Boachie, a lifelong role model for him.