At VB Spine, everything starts with the patient. Millions of children worldwide face significant barriers to accessing specialized spine care because the resources and expertise needed to support these programs are not always available. In May, a team of 27 professionals from VB Spine, World Pediatrics, and Shriners Children’s Philadelphia came together in Guatemala with a shared purpose: caring for children with scoliosis while helping to strengthen the country’s growing pediatric spine program. The goal for this program is to train local surgeons to then pass on to other local surgeons.
A Week of Purpose
Over four operating days, the team completed 18 procedures and cared for 57 children. Each patient represented months of planning and the combined efforts of surgeons, nurses, anesthesiologists, technicians, volunteers, and local healthcare professionals working side by side.
Throughout the week, Dr. Steve Hwang and Dr. Joshua Pahys of Shriners Children’s Philadelphia worked alongside local surgeon Dr. Andrés Cobar and others, caring for patients and supporting families before and after surgery. They took time to answer questions, offer reassurance, and help families understand what to expect. Those conversations reflected the compassion and teamwork that defined the mission.
Building the Future
The impact of this work reaches far beyond the week itself. Over the past five years, the program has grown through a close partnership between World Pediatrics, local healthcare professionals, and visiting specialists, with a shared focus on education, mentorship, and building local capabilities to expand pediatric spine care in Guatemala.
It is about caring for today’s patients while helping local teams build the knowledge and experience to care for the children who come next.
