Here we tell you why our mission, vision and approach matter.
In Honduras, gastric cancer is often caught late. Without widespread screening, patients frequently don’t seek care until symptoms are advanced. By the time they reach the operating room, the surgical challenge is no longer simple – it requires removing not…
Janet Dewan, PhD, CRNA has been volunteering in Rwanda since 2010 and with HVO’s anesthesia project with the University of Rwanda since 2023. Her decades working in low-resource areas have convinced her of the critical importance of education. “Right away,…
Colleagues from the dermatology department at Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Vietnam thank HVO volunteer Dr. Roland Beverly for his time, support, and shared knowledge.
In Vietnam, many of the nurses treating oncology patients have not gone through specialized oncology training – even in hospitals that only care for cancer patients. To address this need, in 2023, Ms. Jodi Hyman was part of a team…
In 2008, children diagnosed with cancer in Cambodia had few options. Hospitals such as Angkor Hospital for Children (AHC) lacked the specialized training and resources needed to provide cancer treatment, and many patients were turned away. Recognizing an opportunity to…
Just a few years ago, Bhutan had never had a pediatric nephrologist. Now, the country has Dr. Jimba Jatsho. “Before me,” he said, “when there was no specialist, most children would not have made it. They would have died at…
By Connie Evashwick, ScD, CAE, CPH and Danielle Stonehirsch HVO aspires to offer its partner organizations and its volunteers more than just one-time clinical teaching. The informal HVO network extends education on culture, geography, history, economics, industry, culinary arts, and…
In May 2025, HVO posted a blog about Dr. Peter Rice’s work bringing ultrasound training to our partner hospital Lumbini Medical College in Tansen, Nepal. Dr. Jane Lockstone, a senior ICU physiotherapist in Tasmania, Australia, who has spent extended time…
Hospitals are meant to be safe havens. Sonja Kill Memorial Hospital (SKMH) in Kampot, Cambodia is striving to ensure that not only are they offering the highest quality clinical care, but also the highest standard of patient safety. Hospital administrators are…
Dr. Rómulo Silva, an orthopedic surgeon in Portugal, was one of the first volunteers to serve at HVO’s new partner site at Hospital de Clinicas in Asunción, Paraguay. Dr. Silva has always had an interest in volunteerism, travel, and learning.…
Vanessa Teed, MSN, RN, CEN, CGNC Global Nurse Educator | PhD in Nursing Student | ICN-Certified Global Nurse Consultant Since 2023, my work and doctoral studies have been guided by a consistent view of global nursing education. For me, it…
Dr. Louis Rafetto has been volunteering with the HVO oral health program since 1992. In that time, he has completed assignments in India, Peru, Colombia, Cambodia, Tanzania, and Nicaragua. “I’ve always been interested in volunteering,” said Dr. Rafetto. “I was…