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  • A Year of Healing, Hope, and Lasting Impact

    2026 Year-End Letter | Freed & Kwon Humanitarian Medical Fund

    Dear Friends and Supporters,

    As 2026 draws to a close, we reflect with gratitude on an extraordinary year of service, compassion, and meaningful progress. None of this would have been possible without your generosity and continued support of the Freed & Kwon Humanitarian Medical Fund.

    This year, our medical missions took us to Zambia, Ghana, and Honduras, where we had the privilege of providing life-changing surgical care to underserved women while working alongside dedicated local healthcare professionals.

    Many of the women we treated had suffered for years from debilitating conditions, including obstetric fistulas, pelvic organ prolapse, and urinary incontinence. For some, these conditions meant chronic discomfort, social isolation, and the loss of independence. Access to specialized surgical treatment was often limited or nonexistent.

    Through surgery, we were able to offer these women more than relief from physical suffering. We helped restore their dignity, confidence, and hope for a better future.

    Your Impact in 2026

    Together, we achieved remarkable results:

    212

    Patients treated

    103

    Surgeries performed

    10

    Local physicians trained

    3

    Countries served

    Behind every number is a person whose life has been touched by your generosity. These accomplishments reflect not only the care provided during our missions but also our commitment to building sustainable surgical expertise in underserved communities.

    Highlights of Our 2026 Missions

    Zambia — Bringing Specialized Surgical Care Where It Is Needed Most

    Our month-long mission to Zambia took us to Mwandi Mission Hospital in the rural Western Province and to Lusaka, the nation's capital.

    In Mwandi, we worked alongside dedicated general practitioners who provide essential medical and surgical care despite severe shortages of equipment, blood, and basic surgical supplies. Together, we performed numerous life-saving and life-changing procedures.

    In Lusaka, we focused on introducing advanced female pelvic reconstructive surgical techniques to local obstetricians and gynecologists. In a country of more than 21 million people, there are no formally trained specialists in this field, leaving countless women without access to essential treatment.

    The enthusiasm and dedication of the Zambian physicians reinforced our belief that education is the foundation of sustainable change. We hope to build on this initial mission by developing a long-term surgical training program that will empower local physicians to care for women in their own communities.

    Ghana — Training the Next Generation of Surgeons

    Our longstanding partnership in Ghana continues to grow, reflecting more than a decade of commitment to developing local expertise in female pelvic reconstructive surgery.

    Through hands-on surgical training, ongoing educational conferences, and close collaboration with Ghanaian physicians, we continue to support the development of skilled specialists capable of providing advanced care independently.

    One of our most ambitious initiatives is the development of the Center of Excellence for Female Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery in Ho, Ghana, in partnership with the University of Health and Allied Sciences.

    This center is envisioned as a regional hub for specialized surgical care, education, and training, serving not only Ghana but also neighboring West African countries.

    Our goal is to create a lasting institution where future generations of African surgeons can receive advanced training and provide high-quality care to women who might otherwise go untreated.

    Honduras — Restoring Dignity and Quality of Life

    During our surgical mission to Honduras, we performed complex pelvic reconstructive procedures for women who had endured years of suffering from pelvic organ prolapse, urinary incontinence, and other debilitating conditions.

    For many of these patients, specialized surgical care had been beyond their reach.

    Witnessing their relief and gratitude following surgery was profoundly moving. Each successful procedure was a reminder that restoring a woman's health can also restore her confidence, independence, and ability to participate fully in her family and community.

    These experiences continue to inspire our commitment to reaching women who have limited access to specialized healthcare.

    Our Philosophy: Teaching the Teachers

    While providing surgical care is essential, our mission extends far beyond individual operations.

    We believe that the most meaningful and lasting impact comes from empowering local physicians with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to care for their own communities.

    Our philosophy of "teaching the teachers" focuses on building sustainable surgical capacity rather than relying solely on short-term medical missions.

    By training local surgeons, we hope to multiply our impact so that hundreds, and eventually thousands, of women can receive specialized care long after our visits have ended.

    Our ultimate measure of success is not how many surgeries we perform, but how many surgeries local physicians will be able to perform independently in the years ahead.

    Looking Ahead to 2027

    As we look toward the coming year, we remain committed to expanding our surgical education programs, strengthening our partnerships in Zambia, Ghana, and Honduras, and advancing the development of the Center of Excellence in Ghana.

    These initiatives represent exciting opportunities, but they also require continued financial support.

    Your generosity helps provide essential surgical supplies and equipment, supports physician education and training, and makes life-changing surgical care possible for women who would otherwise have few options.

    Together, We Can Change More Lives

    As you consider your year-end charitable giving, we invite you to continue supporting the Freed & Kwon Humanitarian Medical Fund.

    Your donation is more than a financial contribution. It is an investment in a woman's health, a surgeon's education, and a community's future.

    Every gift, regardless of size, brings us closer to a world where access to quality surgical care is not determined by geography or financial circumstances.

    We are deeply grateful for your trust, compassion, and generosity. Because of you, we have been able to touch lives, relieve suffering, and lay the foundation for lasting improvements in women's healthcare.

    From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for being part of this journey.

    We wish you and your loved ones a joyful holiday season and a healthy, peaceful New Year.

    With heartfelt gratitude,

    Jeffrey S. Freed, MD, MPH
    President and Co-Founder

    Soo Y. Kwon, MD
    Vice President and Co-Founder

    Freed & Kwon Humanitarian Medical Fund
    A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization

    [Make a Year-End Donation — Help Us Transform More Lives]

Our Trips

Mission Trip to Zambia

Patients waiting outside to be seen

Surgical team after a long day!

A Month in Zambia: Transforming Women's Lives Through Surgery and Education

Expanding access to life-changing surgical care and building sustainable medical expertise in Zambia

After more than six months of planning in partnership with the Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB), I embarked on a month-long medical mission to Zambia. Following nearly 30 hours of travel, I arrived at Mwandi Mission Hospital in Zambia's rural Western Province, where I witnessed firsthand the extraordinary challenges faced by local healthcare providers.

At Mwandi Hospital, there are no trained obstetricians and gynecologists. Dedicated general practitioners provide essential medical and surgical care despite severe resource limitations, including frequent shortages of blood, surgical sutures, and even basic resuscitation equipment.

Despite these challenges, working alongside the local medical team, we performed dozens of life-saving and life-changing surgeries. The resilience, resourcefulness, and unwavering dedication of the Zambian healthcare professionals were truly inspiring.

Bringing Specialized Women's Healthcare to Lusaka

The second part of my mission took me to Lusaka, Zambia's capital, where I focused on sharing knowledge and surgical expertise in Female Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery (FPRS).

In a country of more than 21 million people, there are currently no formally trained specialists in female pelvic reconstructive surgery. As a result, countless women suffering from pelvic organ prolapse, urinary incontinence, and other debilitating pelvic floor disorders have little or no access to specialized treatment.

These conditions can profoundly affect a woman's physical health, dignity, independence, and quality of life. Yet many are treatable with appropriate surgical care.

Through lectures, daily clinical discussions, and hands-on surgical training, I had the privilege of working alongside enthusiastic Zambian physicians eager to develop the skills needed to care for these women. Their commitment to learning and improving healthcare in their communities was remarkable.

Equally moving was the gratitude expressed by our patients, many of whom had endured years of suffering without access to treatment. Their courage and resilience reminded us why this work matters.

Building a Sustainable Future Through Education

While providing surgical care is essential, our mission's long-term impact lies in empowering local physicians with the knowledge and skills to care for their own communities.

Our goal is not simply to perform surgeries during short-term medical missions, but to establish sustainable training programs that enable Zambian obstetricians and gynecologists to independently diagnose and treat complex pelvic floor disorders.

This philosophy—teaching the teachers and building local surgical capacity—is central to the mission of the Freed & Kwon Humanitarian Medical Fund.

After a month of intense and rewarding work, I returned home safely, deeply grateful for the friendships, collaboration, and experiences that made this mission possible.

Although much work remains, I am encouraged by the enthusiasm of our Zambian colleagues and the opportunities ahead.

This mission represents not an end, but the beginning of a long-term commitment to advancing women's surgical healthcare in Zambia.

Together, through education, collaboration, and compassion, we can help ensure that more women receive the care they deserve—regardless of where they live.

  • A Year of Healing, Hope, and Lasting Impact

    2026 Year-End Letter | Freed & Kwon Humanitarian Medical Fund

    Dear Friends and Supporters,

    As 2026 draws to a close, we reflect with gratitude on an extraordinary year of service, compassion, and meaningful progress. None of this would have been possible without your generosity and continued support of the Freed & Kwon Humanitarian Medical Fund.

    This year, our medical missions took us to Zambia, Ghana, and Honduras, where we had the privilege of providing life-changing surgical care to underserved women while working alongside dedicated local healthcare professionals.

    Many of the women we treated had suffered for years from debilitating conditions, including obstetric fistulas, pelvic organ prolapse, and urinary incontinence. For some, these conditions meant chronic discomfort, social isolation, and the loss of independence. Access to specialized surgical treatment was often limited or nonexistent.

    Through surgery, we were able to offer these women more than relief from physical suffering. We helped restore their dignity, confidence, and hope for a better future.

    Your Impact in 2026

    Together, we achieved remarkable results:

    212

    Patients treated

    103

    Surgeries performed

    10

    Local physicians trained

    3

    Countries served

    Behind every number is a person whose life has been touched by your generosity. These accomplishments reflect not only the care provided during our missions but also our commitment to building sustainable surgical expertise in underserved communities.

    Highlights of Our 2026 Missions

    Zambia — Bringing Specialized Surgical Care Where It Is Needed Most

    Our month-long mission to Zambia took us to Mwandi Mission Hospital in the rural Western Province and to Lusaka, the nation's capital.

    In Mwandi, we worked alongside dedicated general practitioners who provide essential medical and surgical care despite severe shortages of equipment, blood, and basic surgical supplies. Together, we performed numerous life-saving and life-changing procedures.

    In Lusaka, we focused on introducing advanced female pelvic reconstructive surgical techniques to local obstetricians and gynecologists. In a country of more than 21 million people, there are no formally trained specialists in this field, leaving countless women without access to essential treatment.

    The enthusiasm and dedication of the Zambian physicians reinforced our belief that education is the foundation of sustainable change. We hope to build on this initial mission by developing a long-term surgical training program that will empower local physicians to care for women in their own communities.

    Ghana — Training the Next Generation of Surgeons

    Our longstanding partnership in Ghana continues to grow, reflecting more than a decade of commitment to developing local expertise in female pelvic reconstructive surgery.

    Through hands-on surgical training, ongoing educational conferences, and close collaboration with Ghanaian physicians, we continue to support the development of skilled specialists capable of providing advanced care independently.

    One of our most ambitious initiatives is the development of the Center of Excellence for Female Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery in Ho, Ghana, in partnership with the University of Health and Allied Sciences.

    This center is envisioned as a regional hub for specialized surgical care, education, and training, serving not only Ghana but also neighboring West African countries.

    Our goal is to create a lasting institution where future generations of African surgeons can receive advanced training and provide high-quality care to women who might otherwise go untreated.

    Honduras — Restoring Dignity and Quality of Life

    During our surgical mission to Honduras, we performed complex pelvic reconstructive procedures for women who had endured years of suffering from pelvic organ prolapse, urinary incontinence, and other debilitating conditions.

    For many of these patients, specialized surgical care had been beyond their reach.

    Witnessing their relief and gratitude following surgery was profoundly moving. Each successful procedure was a reminder that restoring a woman's health can also restore her confidence, independence, and ability to participate fully in her family and community.

    These experiences continue to inspire our commitment to reaching women who have limited access to specialized healthcare.

    Our Philosophy: Teaching the Teachers

    While providing surgical care is essential, our mission extends far beyond individual operations.

    We believe that the most meaningful and lasting impact comes from empowering local physicians with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to care for their own communities.

    Our philosophy of "teaching the teachers" focuses on building sustainable surgical capacity rather than relying solely on short-term medical missions.

    By training local surgeons, we hope to multiply our impact so that hundreds, and eventually thousands, of women can receive specialized care long after our visits have ended.

    Our ultimate measure of success is not how many surgeries we perform, but how many surgeries local physicians will be able to perform independently in the years ahead.

    Looking Ahead to 2027

    As we look toward the coming year, we remain committed to expanding our surgical education programs, strengthening our partnerships in Zambia, Ghana, and Honduras, and advancing the development of the Center of Excellence in Ghana.

    These initiatives represent exciting opportunities, but they also require continued financial support.

    Your generosity helps provide essential surgical supplies and equipment, supports physician education and training, and makes life-changing surgical care possible for women who would otherwise have few options.

    Together, We Can Change More Lives

    As you consider your year-end charitable giving, we invite you to continue supporting the Freed & Kwon Humanitarian Medical Fund.

    Your donation is more than a financial contribution. It is an investment in a woman's health, a surgeon's education, and a community's future.

    Every gift, regardless of size, brings us closer to a world where access to quality surgical care is not determined by geography or financial circumstances.

    We are deeply grateful for your trust, compassion, and generosity. Because of you, we have been able to touch lives, relieve suffering, and lay the foundation for lasting improvements in women's healthcare.

    From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for being part of this journey.

    We wish you and your loved ones a joyful holiday season and a healthy, peaceful New Year.

    With heartfelt gratitude,

    Jeffrey S. Freed, MD, MPH
    President and Co-Founder

    Soo Y. Kwon, MD
    Vice President and Co-Founder

    Freed & Kwon Humanitarian Medical Fund
    A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization

    [Make a Year-End Donation — Help Us Transform More Lives]

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