Our Ohana At Work
Annual Report 2020Caring for the patient helps one patient.
Caring for the surgeon helps thousands of patients.
Michele Dee, MD
Ohana One President
Anesthesiologist, Cedars-Sinai
Head of the COVID airway team
LETTER FROM OUR PRESIDENT
Dear friends and supporters,
While we have all known for some time that the work Ohana One does is critical to improving and indeed changing surgical care around the globe, it has never been as apparent as it has been this past year.
With the onset of COVID-19, all of our lives changed in innumerable and unimaginable ways. Health care providers faced the challenge heroically as hospitals were overwhelmed with individuals suffering from COVID. Businesses and schools shuttered, and we were all faced with navigating a global pandemic. As a doctor and a parent, I experienced this in many ways just like each of you. One thing that became apparent was the systemic inequities the pandemic exposed. We saw these in our day-to-day lives, and we saw them in our work here at Ohana One.
Suddenly we were no longer able to execute our missions to Mozambique and Honduras; we were no longer able to provide critical surgical resources in developing countries that needed our support. Surgeons in developing countries who relied on external access to supplies and training were cut off from these resources almost overnight. Ohana One knew we needed to find a way to continue our critical work of closing the global surgical gap.
As a result, we focused our resources and time on our already established Surgical Sight Program. All of us on the Ohana One team knew this program had the potential to support surgeons in developing countries and provide critical care to thousands who would otherwise not have access to the complex surgeries they needed to live healthy productive lives. Partners across the international surgical mission landscape began reaching out to us for help and guidance as they faced similar obstacles.
We knew that our pilot program utilizing Vuzix Smart Glasses, along with our dedicated mentor surgeons, was the key to providing high-quality, remote surgical training to surgeons who otherwise lacked access to such life-changing education. In the setting of grounded mission crews, our training program instantly became the solution to connecting surgical guidance with local teams in need. The Ohana One Board of Directors chose to focus all of our resources on expanding the Surgical Sight Program, going from six to 50 pairs of remote training smart glasses across the globe.
While the glasses are a big part of the program, the key to integrating our remote teaching lies in the projection software they run on: Help Lightning. Our mentor physicians are able to participate live-time during surgery, consultation, and all aspects of patient care through technology which literally enables our mentor surgeon’s hands to guide and teach the mentees’. The education provided is only as good as our mentor surgeons. We are fortunate to have the very best surgeons from five specialties in 35+ countries who volunteer their time to create a more equitable and accessible way to train their fellow surgeons in developing areas who otherwise would not be able to further their education and training.
This investment in technology is only possible due to your support. As an early stage non-profit, your support, your donations, and your sharing of our work have made this possible. All of us at Ohana One are beyond grateful for your support during this critical time. Because of you, we are changing lives around the world from right here at home.
The pandemic changed our path but did not limit our progress. I invite you to review our annual report and see what we have been able to accomplish together.
Ohana means family and we are glad to have you as part of our family.
Michele Dee, MD
Ohana One President
Vision
Ohana One aims to bridge global gaps in surgical care by providing access to advanced surgical training and mentorship programs, innovative technology, and educational resources to developing areas. The lifetime impact of a surgeon in a developed country is an estimated 10,000 patients during their entire career. In 10 years, if we have 1,000 surgeons enrolled in our mentor program, those new surgeons can go on to operate on 10 million people worldwide— closing the surgical gap. Ohana One will achieve this by pursuing these four objectives in partnership with other NGOs:
Develop and invest in a network of master surgeons and apprentices to build a sustainable and connected global surgical community.
Utilize technology to bridge the gap between these surgical professionals, thereby reducing distance as the primary barrier to year-round training.
Execute surgical in-person training missions worldwide to address critical surgical needs and identify professionals in those regions who would fully embrace mentor support.
Collect, analyze, and ultimately publish meaningful data from the volunteer surgical teams participating in the Surgical Sight Program.
Impact
through July 15, 2021
Patients and families imapcted by the Ohana One surgical mission to Mozambique.
surgeons onboarded and active in Ohana One’s Surgical Sight Program
hospitals across six continents actively support Ohana One and the Surgical Sight Program
countries with over 4.43 billion residents benefit from Ohana One’s medical education training
life-changing services provided by Ohana One’s international surgical aid since 2019
full surgeries completed using Vuzix Smart Glasses and Help Lightning, where mentor surgeons connect with mentees around the globe
pairs of surgeons matched in mentor/mentee teams as a part of the Surgical Sight Program
835+
calls made by the Ohana One team through the Help Lightning software that allows surgeons to learn from each other and share best practices
$18, 085
worth of time donated by our world renowned team of mentor surgeons
Dr. Pedro Santos wearing Vuzix Smart Glasses.
Dr. Dang Do Thanh Can performing craniofacial reconstruction surgery in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam with Dr. John Grant (left) and Dr. James Johnston (right) joining for consultation via Vuzix Smart Glasses and Help Lightning software.
COUNTRY HIGHLIGHT
Bringing Craniofacial Surgery Training to Vietnam
Over the past few months, Dr. Dang Do Thanh Can has completed five complicated craniofacial reconstructive surgeries through Ohana One’s Surgical Sight Smart Glass Program— becoming one of the only surgeons to carry out these procedures in southern Vietnam.
Dr. Can, Chief of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Children’s #2 Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, has been training with another esteemed pediatric neurosurgeon, Dr. James Johnston at Children’s Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama. They have been working together over the last seven years to learn cutting-edge neurosurgical techniques and bring elevated care to patients in his country.
Like with most intercontinental surgeons, they traveled outside of the country once or twice a year to train and connect. They also used Help Lightning’s augmented reality software on tablets for neuroendoscopic surgical training. Through a colleague, they heard about Ohana One’s Surgical Sight Program and were interested in using Vuzix Smart Glass technology to streamline their training.
In this program, surgical mentor/mentee teams choose a procedure to focus on. Dr. Can was eager to bring craniofacial reconstruction to Ho Chi Minh City, which led him to select this procedure to learn. This procedure requires a combination of neurosurgery and plastic surgery, so Dr. John Grant, a plastic and craniofacial surgeon at Children’s Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama, joins Dr. Johnston to support Dr. Can during his training and share relevant insights. All three surgeons come together on Help Lightning, a merged reality software platform, while Dr. Can wears Vuzix Smart Glasses with Help Lightning, and the three operate as if they were in the same room.
Most recently, the team completed a fronto-orbital advancement for a child with Crouzon Syndrome. This condition develops in youth, severely affecting the forehead, nose, mid-facial regions, jaw bone, and teeth. Children with Crouzon Syndrome experience a much lower quality of life, and in severe instances, the disorder can become life-threatening (rarediseases.org). Because of the Ohana One Surgical Sight Smart Glass Program, this young child had the opportunity to receive a life-changing procedure, and their risk of experiencing neurological damage is now greatly reduced.
The continuous training afforded through Ohana One created the opportunity for these surgeons to utilize their skills and time to the fullest and bring crucial care to children in Vietnam, with much quicker results than the traditional travel method of surgical training.
Making History
Since 2009, Ohana One has been dedicated to providing surgical treatment and training around the world. In collaboration with like-minded organizations and advanced technology, we continue to expand safe surgical care to underserved communities. Take a look at how we got to where we are today.
Making History
Since 2009, Ohana One has been dedicated to providing surgical treatment and training around the world. In collaboration with like-minded organizations and advanced technology, we continue to expand safe surgical care to underserved communities. Take a look at how we got to where we are today.
2009
Through a surgical mission to Mozambique led by Mending Kids, Dr. David Kulber met and worked with Dr. Pedro Santos.
Dr. Kulber saw something special in Dr. Santos and wanted to support his endeavors to pass his board exams. As one of only three plastic surgeons in Mozambique, Dr. Santos was needed in his country and couldn’t leave to continue his training.
2014
Wanting to provide year-round training and education beyond yearly missions, the idea of smart glasses was presented as a remote training tool.
Dr. Kulber and Dr. Santos tried to train via Google Glasses in 2014/15, but the platform was not robust enough for effective teaching.
2017
Once technology improved, they actively began using Google Glasses in 2016/17. They also published a study about using Google Glasses for remote surgical training.
Dr. Santos passed his exams with the second highest score in all of Africa.
Dr. Santos and Dr. Celma Issufo, who also trained with Ohana One, were the first plastic surgeons to be board certified by COSECSA in Mozambique.
2018
Dr. Kulber wanted to facilitate this type of training and mentoring with other surgeons in other locations. He knew it would take a team to make this happen, so he co-founded Ohana One with the founding board members.
Together these dedicated individuals found a solution – provide surgical training remotely that will allow a mentee surgeon to train one on one with a more experienced surgeons located elsewhere – avoiding excessive and expensive travel.
Using Vuzix Smart Glasses and Help Lightning software, the Ohana One team knew this could change training possibilities for surgeons around the globe. Especially surgeons in countries with limited access to training who couldn’t leave their patients or pay for costly fellowships.
2019
The Surgical Sight Program was launched. Ohana One matches mentor surgeons with mentee surgeons based on expertise and interest. Mentees are provided with Vuzix Smart Glasses outfitted with Help Lightning software to communicate and train with their mentor surgeons at no charge to them or their hospital.
Ohana One embarked on surgical missions to Mozambique and Honduras. Surgical missions are critical to developing strong relationships between local and visiting surgical teams as they work in tandem towards achieving long-term skill training.
In Mozambique, a team of dedicated surgeons, pediatric anesthesiologists, physicians, physician assistants, nurses, and volunteers worked tirelessly to accomplish 30 complex, life-changing surgeries in one week. The team worked alongside Mozambican surgeons, nurses, and specialists to help provide quality care— by the end of the trip, local providers were able to perform most of the procedures themselves.
In Honduras, Ohana One completed their inaugural pediatric urology mission, where they were able to survey the surgical need and ecosystem of San Pedro Sula, establish a partnership with the host NGO, the Ruth Paz Foundation, and collaborate with local surgeons. In just five days, the team worked around the clock to perform 29 critical surgeries. This mission also saw Ohana One pilot the use of its smart glass technology in Honduras to create a mechanism for screening, surgical assistance, and providing follow-up care.
To further supplement the training Ohana One mentee doctors receive, Dr. Pedro Santos started leading a monthly surgical journal club with his colleagues in Mozambique with guest observers and participants from Ohana One, ReSurge, and other NGO partners. The group discusses the findings in a medical journal article and looks at the challenges presented and the outcomes chosen. These conversations are found to be invaluable as the training surgeons group together for case discussions and problem solving.
2020
In January and February of 2020, Ohana One Board President, Dr. Michele Dee, traveled to Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Tanzania as a visiting educator and performed site assessments for ReSurge partners. This trip underscored the need for Ohana One to continue and expand its training program.
Ohana One provided remote surgical training during the COVID pandemic, when the teams could not travel in person.
The first cohort of mentor/mentee surgeons started in early 2020, comprised of six surgical teams in developing countries, including Armenia, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Tanzania, and Vietnam.
Partnering with Ohana One, Alpha Epsilon Delta at UCLA, a student led program, is making significant contributions to global medical education. Their Global Health Curriculum team focuses on creating curriculum presentations and teaching biweekly English lessons to medical staff in Mozambique via Zoom. During off weeks, the 17 member team holds office hours for the Mozambique doctors that are designed to reinforce concepts from the previous week and incorporate terms learned into simulated conversations. Through this effort, GHI members help facilitate an increase in medical English literacy as well as open opportunities for more local health professionals to become board certified. GHI’s Advocacy Team focuses on spreading awareness of injustices within healthcare by condensing scientific articles into digestible infographics as well as hosting a podcast titled Sick! The podcast is available on both Spotify and Apple Podcast.
2021
83 surgeons are participating in the pilot beta study for the Ohana One Surgical Sight Program. Results are anticipated to be published in 2022.
Mentor / Mentee Pairs
Neurosurgery
Mentor: Roger Hartl, MD
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Mentee: Hamisi Shabani, MD
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Mentor: Brandon Rocque, MD
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Mentee: Nguyen Duc Lien, MD & Nguyen Linh, MD
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Mentor: James Johnston, MD
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Mentee: Dang Do Thanh Can, MD
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Mentor: Jack Rock, MD
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Mentee: Su Myat Moe, MD
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Mentor: Mahmood (Moody) Qureshi, MD
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Mentee: Aamir Qureshi, MD
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Orthopedic Surgery
Mentor: Mark Myerson, MD
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Mentee: Saad Ilyas, MD
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Mentor: Mark Myerson, MD
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Mentee: Anibal Alvarado, MD
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Mentor: Mark Myerson, MD
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Mentee: Graham McCollum, MD
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Mentor: Gaston Sullitel, MD
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Mentee: Andres Jerez, MD
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Mentor: Alireza Khosroabadi, MD
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Mentee: Rachit Sharma, MD
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Mentor: Jennifer D’Amico, MD
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Mentee: Anish Gyawali, MD
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Mentor: Laurence Wicks, MD
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Mentee: Kaleab Tesfaye Reda, MD
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Mentor: Scott Kozin, MD
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Mentee: Richard Gardner, MD
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Mentor: Tim Nunn, MD
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Mentee: Abenezer Iyassu, MD
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Mentor: Gabriele Verratti, MD
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Mentee: To be confirmed
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Mentor: Maryse Bouchard, MD
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Mentee: Giulia Carvalho Silva, MD
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Mentor: Maryse Bouchard, MD
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Mentee: Dimuthu Tennakoon, MD
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Mentor: Maryse Bouchard, MD
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Mentee: Melkamu Kibret, MD
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Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Mentor: Andre Panossian, MD
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Mentee: Artur Harutyunyan, MD
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Mentor: Marshall Partington, MD
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Mentee: Kush Aeron, MD
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Mentor: Rod Hentz, MD
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Mentee: Shilu Shrestha, MD
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Mentor: Gordon Lee, MD
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Mentee: Kevin Nduku, MD
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Mentor: Carolyn Vaughn, MD
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Mentee: Lorena Escudero Castro, MD
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Mentor: Damon Cooney, MD
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Mentee: Rose Alenyo, MD
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Mentor: Dana LaVanture, MD
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Mentee: Andrew Trecartin, MD
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Mentor: Dung Nguyen, MD
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Mentee: Trung Hau Le Thua, MD
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Mentor: Lori Howell, MD
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Mentee: Pramila Shakya, MD
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Mentor: John Grant, MD
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Mentee: Solomon Obiri-Yeboah, MD
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General and Colorectal Surgery
Mentor: Jason Frischer, MD
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Mentee: Vihar Kotecha, MD
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Mentor: Dan DeUgarte, MD
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Mentee: Vanda Amado, MD
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Mentor: Marc Levitt, MD
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Mentee: Tarryn Gabler, MD
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Mentor: Jose Mosquera, MD
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Mentee: Hazel Ruiz Villarreal, MD
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Urology Surgery
Mentor: Andy Freedman, MD
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Mentee: Norma Oviedo, MD
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Mentor: Martin Kaefer, MD
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Mentee: To be confirmed
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Mentor: Suzie Venn, MD
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Mentee: Charles Mabedi, MD
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Mentor: Kurt McCammon, MD
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Mentee: Isiaka Lawal, MD
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Mentor: Kurt McCammon, MD
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Mentee: Mohamed Jalloh, MD
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Mentor: Kurt McCammon, MD
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Mentee: Abselom Lemma Gebreamlak, MD
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Mentor: Graham Watson, MD
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Mentee: John Lazarus, MD
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Mentor: Graham Watson, MD
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Mentee: Lamine Niang, MD
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Mentor: Graham Watson, MD
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Mentee: Emmanuel Muhawenimana, MD
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Mentor: Michael Chua, MD
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Mentee: Luis Balajadia, MD
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Mentor: Michael Chua, MD
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Mentee: Luzelle Kate Aba, MD
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Mentor: Michael Chua, MD
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Mentee: Manuel IV See, MD
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Mentor: Kymora Scotland, MD
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Mentee: Gilles Natchagande, MD
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Mentor: Paddy Dewan, MD
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Mentee: Farzana Cassim, MD
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Mentor: Paddy Dewan, MD
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Mentee: To be confirmed
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Mentor: Paddy Dewan, MD
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Mentee: To be confirmed
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Dr. Nguyen Duc Lien in Hanoi, Vietnam mentored by Dr. Brandon Rocque via Vuzix Smart Glasses and Help Lightning software.
EYE OPENING RESULTS
Smart Glasses Revolutionize Surgical Collaborations
Ohana One’s Surgical Sight Program provides Vuzix Smart Glasses with Help Lightning software to support our surgical mentor/mentee teams who use this state-of-the-art technology to conduct remote training. This technology allows surgeons in developing countries to perform complex surgeries while getting real-time guidance and support from their mentors who are often in a different country. While mostly utilized in the operative environment, the glasses are also useful for pre-surgical planning sessions and post-operative recovery and follow-up.
Vuzix is a leading supplier of smart glasses and augmented reality technologies, as well as products for the consumer and enterprise markets. The company’s products include personal display and wearable computing devices that offer users a portable high-quality viewing experience, provide solutions for mobility, wearable displays, and augmented reality (vuzix.com). They have partnered with Ohana One to adapt their glasses to the needs of the Surgical Sight Program.
The glasses run utilizing projection software from Help Lightning. Help Lightning creates a “virtual interactive presence”, merging video streams so that remote helpers can aid those conducting surgery in person by, for example, gesturing on screen to where a mentee surgeon should make an incision (helplightning.com).The Surgical Sight Program augments annual surgical mission trips by providing year-round training for mentee surgeons who choose to participate and want to learn from a trusted mentor they have come to know as a friend and colleague. These mentor/mentee relationships can drastically improve surgical training in developing countries, resulting in more surgeons trained, and in turn, more patients treated. The hands-free, voice control glasses paired with Help Lightning software encourages unobstructed and rapid learning, strengthening efficiency between teams. Mentee surgeons are provided with the smart glasses for free as a grant from Ohana One, and additionally, they receive a dedicated connection with the Ohana One family of mentor surgeons and other surgical professionals. This extensive training and support network empowers surgeons to confidently control their surgical backlogs. This type of unique and personal training builds self-reliance, confidence, and essential surgical skills.
Because the smart glasses are compact, they are easy to ship and share with colleagues and other departments. This flexibility opens possibilities for an even greater impact than if the technology was limited to just one location or operating room.
The Surgical Sight Program is powered by Ohana One and partners such as Vuzix, Help Lightning, our amazing volunteer surgeons, and over a dozen NGOs, that have all come together to offer remote surgical training to support surgeons in developing areas. Without the Surgical Sight Program, mentee surgeons interested in further training would need to leave their countries to gain this life-saving knowledge and expertise. By remaining in place, they can continue offering critical services while learning important new skills to meet the needs of their patients in their communities.
2020 Financials
Support and Revenue
Gift In-Kind Contributions $18,085.00
Grants $3,000.00
Individual Contributions $210,173.00
Total Support & Revenue $231,258.00
Expenses
Programs $125,871.00
Supporting Services
Administrative $3,204.00
Fundraising $7,288.00
Total Expenses $136,363.00
This annual report presents financial data from 2020. Because we are so excited about what we are accomplishing together, we are sharing stories and impact data that goes through July 15, 2021. We hope you don’t mind – we just couldn’t wait to share it with you!
Team
Board of directors
Michele Dee, MD, President
David Kulber, MD, Vice President
Kylie Tanabe, PA-C, Secretary
Susan K. Laffer, Treasurer
Adrian Ashkenazy
Aaron Bregman
Gracie Fermelia
Marshall Geller
Tom Gordon
Harry Levitt
Garry Pearson
Jay Roach
Sandra Rodriguez, RN
Karissa Sharifian
Rob Uhlaner
Advisors to the Board
Joyce Brandman
Andrew Freedman, MD
Mark Urata, DDS, MD
Ohana Team
Marchelle Sellers, MBA
Maggie Bohlman
Rachel Buigas-Lopez
Jadie Delgado
Megan Demijohn
Tarek Elshayal
Nasim Hafiz
Emily Martinez
Scott Moe
Susan Popler
Edward Ray, MD
Marvee Turk, MD
Surgical Team Liaisons
Gracie Baum
Jaxon Baum
Jonathan Browne
Christian Lingamen
Isa Rosenberg
Interns
Austin Huynh
Jewel NG
Key Pearson
Dante Ray
Elleni Solomon
Photographs by Kelly Fogel
Grateful to Our Donors
Donations work to close the massive surgical gap that exists by providing year-round global surgical training and facilitate collaboration with other NGOs across the globe. We are thankful to all of our donors who make our work possible. You are an important part of our Ohana.
Aaron Bregman
Adam Zarate
Adrian Ashkenazy
Antonia Chan Goldsobel
Ari Weinstein
Benjamin & Catherine Kwan
Benjamin Lau
Bennett Tramer
Bobbe Moore
Brenda J. Miller
Brian Larky
Brittany Wood
Carol Mendelsohn
Chad Livernois
Charlize Theron
Children’s Burn Foundation
Christine Campbell
Clement Shek
Daniel Carpio
Daren FIlsinger
David & Carole Kulber
David & Gracie Fermelia
David Corn
David S & Evelyn W Simon Fund
Diana & Man Hong NG
David & Marchelle Sellers
Diane Warner
Don Levin Trust
Donna Rosen
Edward Phillips
Elaine Leotoy
Elizabeth McGaughey
Frank Yang
Frederick & Sandra Chin
Frederick Goldberger
Fung Family Revocable
Living Trust
Garry & Suzie Pearson
Haben Berihun
Hannah Trinidad
Harry & Ellen Levitt
Harvey & Linda Kulber
Helen Fielding
Henry & Lynda Loo
Henry & Miriam Chen
Henry & Evan Pang
Hoff/Roach Living Trust
IV Organics
James & Jennifer Yoh
James Howard
James K Chu
Jean & Michael So
Jeff Kaplowitz
Jennifer Chen
Jeremy Doner
Jerrold H. & Barbara Lois Mink
Jesse Chan
Jewish Community
Foundation LA
Julia Li Julian Feifel
Karissa & Shahab Sharifian
Kathleen Osborn
Kellie Steinman
Kelly Fogel
KJK Investment Group
Kong Kuen & Ophelia Puisuk
Kylie Tanabe
Lara & John Shea
Lauren Wolke
Len Sterling
Li Gad
Linda Kwok
Lucy Poon
Lynn Brody
Marshall Geller
Marina Cheung
Mark Lanza
Martin Laffer
Maxwell & Rose Cheung
Michael Johnstone
Michele Dee, MD
Michelle Nissani
Milton Chang
Moelis Family
MTFBiologics
Nancy & Bill Lu
Nancy Morales
Paul & Amy Lee
Penelope Aszkenazy
Phyllis Chan
Quavo Cares
Rebecca Manning
RESURGE
Robert Uhlaner
Romi Mirza
Samuel Rawlins
Sandra Rodriguez
Sarah & Herbert Lau
Saratoga Rotary Club
Saul and Joyce Brandman Foundation
Sheldon Altman
Sheri & Marc Rapaport
Sheryl Lewin, MD
Shirley Chow
Shirley Lee
Shuheng Liu & Family
Sidney Lee
Sonny & Patsy Sie
Stephen Zimmerman
Steven Fogel
Steven Konsker
Sue Hirschson
Susan & Larry Laffer
Tom & Edna Gordon
Veronica Aszkenazy
Wellington Yang
Wolf Living Trust
Zhiduan Zhong & Wei Yao Liu
Every donor matters at Ohana One, thank you for your support. If we have mistakenly omitted you from this list or if there is an error in spelling, we sincerely apologize and ask that you contact us at 855-MYOHANA (696-4262) or [email protected] so that we may correct it.
Yes, We Need You
Your donation impacts the lives of patients and surgeons worldwide!
Do you believe every person deserves access to the very best surgical care regardless of where they live? Do you believe that surgeons should have access to the very best training regardless of where they practice/live? If you do, then please make your tax-deductible donation to Ohana One and make a direct impact on the health and lives of patients worldwide. Please donate today!
For program inquiries: [email protected]