Last Sunday, March 5th, OrthoNorCal’s Jeffrey S. Kanel, MD performed a pro bono surgery on Ethiopian Teen, Dawit Berhanyu.
Berhanyu is a fifteen year old teen suffering from scoliosis, a medical condition in which the person has a curvature in his spine. Due to the lack of resources and medical services at Ethiopia, Berhanyu has not had the chance to receive the treatment for his condition. Following a recommendation from a colleague, Dr. Kanel decided to perform the surgery as a way of giving back to the community. The pro bono surgery was held at Good Samaritan Hospital.
In order to correct the curvature of Berhanyu’s spine, Dr. Kanel installed metal braces in a procedure called posterior spinal fusion. Through this procedure, Dr. Kanel was able to stabilize Berhanyu’s spine while also alleviating some of the pain from the pressure on his nerves.
Dr. Kanel is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in pediatric care. He has an individualized approach and understands the importance of his specialty since “a child is the most important thing in the world to a parent.” With that in mind, Dr. Kanel chose to share his orthopedic skills and perform a pro bono surgery that will surely impact Berhanyu’s future.
Watch Kron4 News’ feature of the story below!