Join us for an inspiring event, Evening to Bring Back Hope III, on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, at the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver. This gathering will celebrate and advance the incredible impact of the Bring Back Hope (BBH) initiative, which was founded by Gary Segal, C.M., O.B.C. to support Dr. Rick Hodes’ life-saving humanitarian work in Ethiopia. Dr. Hodes, tirelessly devoted to helping his patients, will be in attendance. Their partners The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), UBC Branch for Global Surgical Care (BGSC) and Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver will also be present.
BBH helps young Ethiopians suffering from severe spinal deformities access critical surgeries, transforming lives that would otherwise be cut short. Since 2012, BBH has worked alongside Dr. Hodes and his international partners—Dr. Oheneba Boachie in Ghana and Dr. Shanmugathan Rajasakaran in India—who collaborate across religious and cultural lines to bring hope and healing to hundreds of young people.
Event Details:
- Date: Tuesday, October 22, 2024
- Time: 5:30 PM – Cocktail Reception | Dinner to Follow
- Location: JW Marriott Parq Vancouver, 39 Smithe Street, Vancouver, BC
- Dress Code: Business Attire
- Tickets: Individual tickets and tables are available at www.bringbackhope.com
The evening will highlight inspiring stories, including the journey of Tesfaye, who, at age 13, left his village in Ethiopia to seek treatment for a collapsed spine caused by tuberculosis when he was eight. Tesfaye’s complex 14-hour surgery in Vancouver in 2009 at VGH organized by Gary and operated on by Dr. Marcel Dvoark, saved his life. Now married and a father, Tesfaye will be in attendance to share his extraordinary story. We also hope to welcome his wife and young son, pending visa approvals.
The evening will also feature a special performance by Zada, an Ethiopian-born entertainer adopted and raised in Whistler, who has a unique connection to Dr. Rick Hodes, having raised money for him as a child.
Since the last BBH event in 2017, remarkable progress has been made. Outreach programs have expanded into rural Ethiopia, educating healthcare workers on early spine disease detection, and the Ministry of Health has set aside a section of a hospital in Addis Ababa to become Ethiopia’s National Spine Centre.
Gary Segal, BBH Founder and Chair, shares: “Helping Dr. Rick Hodes and young Ethiopians like Tesfaye has been a central part of my life for the past 17 years. This event is an opportunity to reflect on the profound impact we’ve had, and to continue the mission of saving lives and providing hope.”
