Dr. Nirav and Neha Shah Family Medical Mission
The Dr. Nirav and Neha Shah Family Medical Mission is a non-profit organization that brings the art and science of care practiced at Princeton Brain, Spine & Sports Medicine to the Bonao region, a remote area in the Dominican Republic’s central highlands. We provide unparalleled treatment for patients in the area—at no cost to them. The Medical Mission has made a difference in the lives of the people of Bonao and will continue to do so in the future by strengthening and diversifying our presence in the region.
Our work includes a range of patient interactions. We could be the first doctor to screen a 14-year-old boy with scoliosis. Sometimes we provide orthotic and prosthetic fittings; other times, in conjunction with our American suppliers, we provide braces for those who would further suffer from spinal deformities and other conditions. We offer guidance on physical therapy and even assist with diagnostic imaging, MRIs and CT scans.
Our work is not only to meet, screen and treat new patients but also to set up systems and train others to provide similar care while we are at our Princeton Brain & Spine campuses in America. Early in the Medical Mission’s existence, we made the decision to help in the most long-term, impactful ways. We aim to touch the lives of many in the Bonao region directly and ensure that care continues when we are not in the Dominican Republic.
Work of this magnitude can not be undertaken by a single organization. Our Medical Mission is proud to partner with committed peers in the Cigar Family Foundation, the Dominican Foundation and the Instituto Dominicano de Desarrollo Integral. The Cigar Family Foundation is an organization with 10 years of service that provides a school for nearly 500 students and a health facility for neighboring villages. Without their support, these resources would not otherwise be available to the people of Bonao.
The Dominican Foundation, an American-based non-profit with 20 years of service, focuses on awareness and funding in support of The Instituto Dominicano de Desarrollo Integral’s initiatives. The Instituto Dominicano de Desarrollo Integral has a 30-year track record as the primary non-profit organization in the Dominican Republic. The organization is dedicated to fighting poverty and impacting the lives of the impoverished people of the Dominican Republic. Special thanks to these organizations, which help the Dr. Nirav and Neha Shah Family Medical Mission achieve its goals in serving the Bonao people.
My dream was to always give back to the less fortunate. I have been privileged to be able to take care of patients on a daily basis and to provide excellent medical care. But I wanted to do more. I had the opportunity in 2012 to create a medical mission in the Dominican Republic. The goal of the mission was to create awareness about scoliosis. Scoliosis is abnormal curvature of the spine that can result in severe pain and disfigurement. Scoliosis is an epidemic in the Dominican Republic. These patients do not have access to quality medical care. They do not have access to braces or medications that can help prevent the scoliosis from occurring. These patients often live in a malnourished state. The goal of this mission is to raise awareness and funds for non-surgical spine care. We raise money to provide physical therapy, braces and medications to these patients. Ultimately the dream is to grow this mission and expand into other areas of the country. This will help bring more sophisticated levels of medicine to these wonderful people.
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