Colombia
providing spinal treatment to 86 desperate children
Our way of living, our mission and goals of making a difference for vulnerable citizens and our region, inspires us to help change lives every day!
In 2021, Aspen’s Andean region comprising Colombia, Peru and Ecuador partnered with Fundación Casa de Colombia (“FCDC”) and Global Spine Outreach to reach young patients in desperate need of treatment.
FCDC is a non–profit organization ("NPO") committed to children´s health and education. GSO is a paediatric healthcare NPO that provides transformative surgical care to children suffering from severe spinal deformities.
Our partnership with FCDC and GSO, valued at nearly US$10 000, was established to help fulfill the physical dreams of 86 young patients.
It all started in November 2021 when a group of children, teenagers and young adults began consultations with a team of healthcare specialists.
The hope of each patient and their family, was that they would be a successful candidate for intensive treatment and surgery.
These patients all suffer from varying forms of spinal deformities or multiple scoliosis.
They also all come from impoverished backgrounds with limited or no access to medical treatment.
Daybreak in Cali, Colombia on 15 May 2022 marked the realisation that the dream of living a more normal life would start coming to fruition for some patients. For some, this was the moment that they had waited for all their life. During the week that followed, a group of doctors from Global Spine Outreach began intensive treatments with the patients.
The medical team, comprising 12 American orthopaedic surgeons, neurologists and a host of Colombian specialists, conducted 56 medical consultations and performed 83 forms of medical treatment. A life changing experience was also granted to 12 children who underwent spinal surgeries.
Through this ongoing programme, medical assistance, surgeries, treatment and evaluations of the patients will continue for a five-year period. This initiative has been made possible through not only our contributions and valued partnerships, but also through the support of participating Andean region employees.
