April, 2025

Dear friends,

Every year, HVO celebrates World Health Day by recognizing just a few of the dedicated individuals whose tireless efforts make global progress possible with the HVO Golden Apple Award. Please join us in congratulating this year’s honorees: Dr. Leslee Jaeger, Mr. Robert Sowa, Dr. Soniya Dulal, Ms. Jean Baumgartel, and Dr. Katharine Lowndes. Your extraordinary contributions to advancing global health through education have truly transformed lives—thank you.

World Health Day, observed on April 7th, was established at the First Health Assembly in 1948 to recognize critical issues in global health and mark the founding of the World Health Organization. This year’s theme, “Healthy Beginnings and Hopeful Futures,” focuses on maternal and newborn health—a topic that resonates deeply with our mission. Although maternal deaths persist at unacceptable rates, there is hope; from 2000 to 2020, the global maternal mortality rate fell by 34%. Yet, a lack of skilled health care workers remains a significant barrier to further progress.

HVO volunteers play a vital role in addressing this challenge by strengthening the skills of existing health workers and training new ones, increasing health system capacity. Thinking about this year’s World Health Day theme, one of the 2025 Golden Apple honorees, Dr. Leslee Jaeger, an obstetrician-gynecologist, was nominated by a colleague in Vietnam who shared that her efforts have transformed maternal and newborn care: “Dr. Jaeger's dedication to medical education and tireless volunteer work have significantly improved health care for women and children at Can Tho Gynecology Obstetrics Hospital and the Mekong Delta region. Her commitment to volunteerism exemplifies the spirit of the HVO mission.”

Thank you to all our volunteers for your unwavering dedication to creating healthier, stronger communities worldwide.

Sincerely,

April

April Pinner, MSPH, RD

Executive Director

Golden Apple

April Celebrations

Be the First to Know

Celebrating Two Decades of Saving Newborn Lives in Uganda

In the 23 years since Dr. Yvonne Vaucher first traveled to Uganda, she and Dr. Margaret Nakakeeto have been revolutionizing neonatal care in hospitals around the country through their collaboration. After receiving training from Dr. Vaucher, Dr. Nakakeeto began educating teams of her own, first in her hospital and then in hospitals in other regions. Last year, the two toured seven hospitals in the West Nile region where they provided training.

Read more on the HVO blog:

https://tinyurl.com/hvo-saving-newborns-in-uganda

Anesthesiologist Needed

An anesthesiologist is needed to volunteer from July 10 – 20, 2025 in Kampala, Uganda at Mulago Hospital. The volunteer will be part of a spine team providing education and direct patient care. This volunteer opportunity will be funded. Interested volunteers should contact Andrea Moody.

Volunteer Opportunities

Dermatology, Cambodia is recruiting in-person and virtual volunteers specializing in dermatopathology and dermatological research and publication. Interested volunteers should contact Natalie Cary.

Mental Health, Bhutan is recruiting in-person volunteers licensed in psychiatry, psychology, psychotherapy, or clinical social work with more than five years of professional experience to assist with training related to, but not limited to, community-based mental health care, substance abuse rehabilitation, hospital-based psychiatric care, cross-cultural psychology, child and family mental health, and interdisciplinary clinical practice. Interested volunteers should contact Lauren Franklin.

Nutrition, Cambodia is recruiting nutritionists and nurses with expertise in diabetes, lactation, SLP feeding skills, nutrition oncology, gastroenterology, cerebral palsy, children with special needs, and more to complete both virtual and in-person assignments. Interested volunteers should contact Lauren Franklin.

Orthopaedics, Uganda is recruiting generalists and subspecialists to provide training in a variety of topics to orthopaedic assistants, medical students, and physicians. Interested volunteers should contact Natalie Cary.

Rehabilitation, Bhutan is recruiting OTs to provide in-person training on adult or pediatric neuro topics. One month minimum placement required. Interested volunteers should contact Emily Dalton.

Rehabilitation, Haiti is recruiting virtual volunteers to serve as volunteer faculty for several bachelor’s-level PT and OT courses, including pharmacology and nutrition for rehabilitation, differential diagnosis, and acute care and cardiopulmonary. Interested volunteers should contact Emily Dalton.

Rehabilitation, Nepal is recruiting virtual volunteers to provide lectures to support their MPT program. Topics include pain-management, psychological interventions, and electro diagnostic techniques. Interested volunteers should contact Emily Dalton.