Mission Work

H.O.P.E Series: Nina Kalawadia, MD, Chief of Anesthesia and Kris R. Kaulback, MD, Chief of Surgery

There are many needs in today's world, and it takes very special people to recognize those needs and decide to personally step up and do something to help. Drs. Nina Kalawadia and Kris Kaulback - along with many of their Paoli Hospital colleagues - are those types of people.

For many years, Drs. Kalawadia and Kaulback were interested in doing mission work in an area of the world with severe health care needs. This thought started pre-COVID, but the pandemic stalled planning. Then three years ago, they were able to coordinate their first surgical and medical care mission trip in conjunction with One World Surgery, a non-profit organization that assists American medical teams organize this good work on a weekly basis.

Each year since that initial trip, a cohort of approximalely forly Pauli Hospilal anesthesiologists, surgeons, and internal medical physicians, along with OR, Pre-op and PACU nurses - and many general volunteers (including some of the team's children) have traveled to Honduras for a one-week period per trip to provide high quality health care to those who often wait months to years for surgical procedures. The team performs approximately 50 surgeries each trip and provides well over 100 patient care visits. In addition, each team member uses their own personal leave time to participate and provide this much needed service.

These trips are considered "magical" by Drs. Kalawadia and Kaulback. Being on the ground in Honduras and seeing firsthand how little these patients have is striking. Every patient is extremely grateful, with many hugs post visit - and heartfelt prayers offered for the team from the various recipients of these wonderful goodwill adventures. The experience is a true team builder, rejuvenating each traveler and providing a communal feeling based on an impactful life experience that they will forever have in common. The team members return to Paoli Hospital reinvigorated!

The fourth mission trip is currently in the planning phase. This excellent tradition of service to others in great need continues!

Teamwork

Structural Heart team at Jefferson Abington Hospital

A proud moment for the Structural Heart team at Jefferson Abington Hospital as they complete their first transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) procedure, marking an exciting step forward in care for our community.

Transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) is a minimally invasive procedure used to treat a leaking mitral valve in people who may not be candidates for open-heart surgery. By helping the valve close more effectively, the procedure can ease symptoms and support better day-to-day living.

Congratulations to the Structural Heart team on this important first! And a special thanks to Dr. Brian Radvansky, Anesthesiologist at UAS for his incredible contribution.

Teamwork

CRNA Valentine Jakovlevs gets presented Patient Care Award by Vice President of Operations for Abington Memorial Hospital

"Some kind words of recognition by Brian are "As Chief CRNA, Valentine Jakovlevs is a dedicated advocate for both patients and colleagues. He stays closely connected to the day-to-day needs of the department while working to ensure consistency and fairness across the enterprise. Valentine regularly gives more than his role requires. By working additional hours and stepping in to balance clinical workloads, he helps keep operating rooms running smoothly and supports surgical teams when they need it most. His dependability provides reassurance to staff and leaders alike. When surgeries run long, Valentine stays beyond his scheduled shift to ensure patients receive safe and timely care. His leadership is grounded in empathy, and his impact is felt not only in the operating room, but across every team he supports. Valentine’s integrity is woven into the way he interacts with everyone around him, making a positive impact that resonates throughout the organization. Thanks for y our dedication and caring, Val! Congratulations!