When Operation International was founded in 1996, the mission was simple: bring free medical care to those in need. The founding Team New York’s first mission to Haiti a year later would not only succeed in this goal, but plant the seeds to expand on that noble pursuit for years to come.

In the 30 years since, Operation International teams’ hard work and dedication have delivered on the initial mission with more than 25,000 surgeries, 100,000 patient screenings, countless donations of equipment, and hundreds of hours of training for local staff. Below, Operation International Founder and Chairman Medhat Allam, MD, reflects on this impact over the past three decades. Plus, keep reading for a glimpse at what is in store for the organization’s 30th year.

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From Medhat:

“As I tried to look back and quantify the impact our work has had on the people we serve and the communities we touch, I found myself stopping short. Attempting to count the ripples created by a single stone is as futile as missing the forest for the trees. What has sustained us for the past three decades is the understanding that every stone we cast creates countless ripples—many of which we may never see.

In much of the Western world, safety nets exist to support families when illness strikes. In many of the countries where we work, those safety nets simply do not exist—a reality that took me years to fully grasp. When the breadwinner of a family falls ill, the consequences ripple outward. Older children often leave school to work and support their families, while younger ones stay home to care for the sick. Education is interrupted, childhoods are shortened, and futures are forever altered.

One never stops learning, but the lessons we learn stay with us and guide us. Over the past 30 years, we have treated thousands of patients. Around each one, the ripple effect of our work has spared untold suffering—wives we never met, children we never saw, neighbors we never knew existed. Each healed patient represents many lives quietly preserved.

Visiting any of our orphanages brings a familiar mixture of peace to my mind and tears to my eyes. Seeing children—who might otherwise have been lost—eating, playing, and studying in a safe and nurturing environment is a serene and humbling sight that I call during those moments when peaceful sleep doesn’t seem to want to join my bed!

None of this would have been possible without the generosity of the donors and friends of Operation International. Our teams experience the immediate gratification of hands-on service, but the true heroes are those who give to people they never met, and will never meet, with no expectation of recognition or immediate reward. To our donors, I want you to know this: the ripple effect of your generosity is far greater than you can ever count.”

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As we enter the milestone year 2026, the ripple effects of Operation International’s work will only multiply. With 25 missions on the calendar, 2026 promises to be another groundbreaking year for the organization, with both new and longstanding teams already preparing for their mission trips. Here’s a look at what’s in store:

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March

This year’s missions will kick off at the start of March, with two teams traveling to one of the newer destinations for Operation International: Laos. Operation International first traveled to Laos in 2025 with back-to-back mission trips from Team New York and Team Cleft Repair.

First up in 2026 will be Team Manhattan, who will head to Laos for the first time at the start of the month. Their expertise is largely focused on head and neck surgery and facial reconstructive procedures.

Next up will be Team Cleft Repair. This is the team's second visit to Houaphanh Province to provide life-changing cleft surgeries in one of the most underserved and impoverished regions of Laos. During their first visit to the country in 2025, the team treated 49 patients.

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April

April will also be a busy month for Operation International, with three teams voyaging on missions.

First up, Team Chicago will head to Tanzania to provide general surgery, plastics, craniofacial and ENT care to patients in need. Later that month, one of Operation International’s new teams will make their inaugural mission trip. Team Indiana Hearts–a new cardiac team–will travel to Kenya to provide life-saving cardiac surgery to patients who otherwise would not have access to this essential care. Lastly, in April, Operation International’s neurological team will make their third trip to Ghana to provide free complex neurosurgical care to patients in need and continue work on setting up the first neurosurgery center in the region.

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May

In May, another new Operation International team will make their debut. Team SEE Kenya (Surgical Education and Empowerment) will head to Kakamega, Kenya with a focus on providing education and training to Kenyan health care professionals. Their efforts will focus on the management of head and neck disorders, including gaiters and maxillofacial tumors.

Next up in May will be Operation International’s founding team, Team New York, who will travel to Ethiopia for the first time. The team has been working for several months with Felege Hiwot Hospital in Bahir Dar, which serves a population of more than 5 million with limited capacity and materials. Operation International hopes to spend the next several years building a base at Felege Hiwot, helping as many patients as they can, donating equipment and supplies to improve care, and working with local doctors and nurses to exchange knowledge and increase training.

Last up in May will be Team Heart of Texas, a team that went on their maiden voyage in 2025. The team will return to Uganda with a focus on providing free, advanced head and neck surgical care to those in need.

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More Missions to Come:

The second half of 2026 will have almost 20 more missions on the docket, including a few repeat missions from teams traveling earlier in the year. Below are the teams on the agenda between June and the end of the year:

• Team UK,
• Operation Hearts
• Team Ortho
• Team DC
• Team FL
• Team Spain
• Team LA
• Operation Restore Vision
• Team Women’s Health
• Team ENT
• Team Michigan
• Team Maryland
• Team Canada
• Team Dental

Stay tuned as the year progresses for more details on each of these missions and how you can support our dedicated teams of volunteers. And, as always, thank you to our supporters who have made possible not only this year, but 30 years of saving lives!

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