Operation International has already had a momentous 2025. New teams have made their mark with groundbreaking inaugural missions, and long-standing OI teams have explored new parts of the world with great success. But, of course, the year is only just beginning.

As we approach the mid-way point of 2025, we would like to take a moment to share what is in store for the second half of the year. There are still a dozen or so missions on the docket that will bring life-changing care to those in need and life-changing memories for our volunteers.

Here’s a look at what’s to come:

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June

In June, there are three promising missions on the agenda: Team DC, Team UK, and Team Hearts.

First, Operation International will build on a promising new relationship with leaders in the region of Kakamega County, Kenya with an exciting mission led by Team DC. Earlier this year, Operation Restore Vision paved the way with a successful trip to Kakamega, becoming the first outside eye surgical team to visit the region. The trip was brought about with the help of a Kenyan-born American nurse determined to give back to his community.

That nurse, Ian Otinga, has been coordinating with Team DC to bring about the second mission  in OI’s history in the region. Team DC will offer general, head and neck, and plastic surgery to patients in need during their trip. Plus, they will help educate local providers and be bringing supplies to local schools and orphanages.

The second mission in June will be led by Operation International’s UK chapter. Team UK will head on their fourth mission to Ghana with the aim of delivering free surgical care to adults and children. They will also focus on expanding the delivery of training to local doctors thorough structured sessions on basic surgical skills and core skills in laparoscopy surgery. Team UK is excited to celebrate the opening of a children’s playground at Holy Family Hospital in Ghana, which they have built in honour of the late Dr Craig Mastracci, anaesthesia provider and past volunteer.

Lastly in June will be Team Hearts, Operation International’s cardiac team. The team is excited to head back to Guyana and aims to perform at least 10 life-saving cardiac surgeries, including valve replacements, congenital defect repairs, and coronary bypasses. The team’s mission will include a detailed evaluation of pre-screened patients from a waitlist in the country, which has no cardiac surgery program on site, and perioperative and postoperative care to ensure safe recovery. They will also screen and evaluate new cardiac patients for future missions while on the trip.

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July

In July, Operation Restore Vision will head on their second mission of the year. Returning to Uganda for the third time, the team is looking forward  to performing free vision restoring surgery to those suffering a life of blindness. Earlier this year, they led the very successful first mission to Kakamega County, Kenya, where they completed 247 of these life-changing eye surgeries in just one week.

Another exciting feature of the ORV mission will be a new partnership with The Emirates Airline Foundation, a non-profit charity organisation that aims to improve the quality of life for children, regardless of geographical, political, or religious boundaries, and to help them maintain or improve their human dignity. EKF supports medical initiatives that drive meaningful change and align with the vision to create lasting impact to communities in need, and will be providing funding for all ORV team member’s plane tickets to travel to Uganda. Operation International’s Board of Directors is very grateful to EKF for this impactful and generous  support.

The second mission up in July will be from Team FL, who will also travel to Uganda. This will be the team’s first visit to the country after two previous missions at OI’s base in Ghana. The multi-specialty team will be serving adult and pediatric patients in the area of general surgery, head and neck, plastics, and urology. The team is excited to take on the challenge and grow medical care access in Uganda by offering high-quality advanced health care to the region in a safe and sustainable manner.

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The Fall

The final mission trips of 2025 will kick off in the fall.

In September, Team Cleft Repair will head on their second trip of the year. After making history as one of two back-to-back missions to Laos in March, the team is headed back to Vietnam. This will be the team’s third trip to Vietnam since their inaugural mission in 2023.

In October, Operation International will lead two trips. In the first, Team Dental will return to Bolivia, where they have been twice before. Then, Team Michigan will travel to Ghana. The team, which is now led by Dr. Attasit Chokechanachaisakul, has not traveled to Ghana since 2017.

Finally, another new Operation International team will round out the year in November. Team Canada is set to venture on their inaugural mission, also to Ghana, at the start of the month.

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Thank you!

As always, this impressive agenda of mission trips–and the impact they will have on patients around the world–would not be possible without our generous supporters. Thank you!