08/06/2026
Over the course of two weeks in July, Mayo Clinic Cardiovascular Surgery partnered with Heart Attack Ethiopia on Mission #5, working alongside local and international teams across four partner hospitals. The teams treated 232 patients and performed 242 cardiac procedures expanding access to lifesaving cardiovascular care.
A highlight of the mission was the outstanding contribution of the Mayo Clinic volunteer team, organized by Senior Cardiovascular Perfusionist Mesfin Dollar. During the first week, led by cardiac surgeon Dr. Arman Arghami, the team completed seven open-heart surgeries. In the second week, under the leadership of Dr. Philip Spencer, five additional surgeries were performed, bringing the Mayo Clinic team's total to 12 lifesaving open-heart procedures.
The mission primarily focused on single- and double-valve surgeries for patients with advanced rheumatic heart disease—a preventable condition that continues to affect thousands of children and young adults in Ethiopia. For many of these patients, surgery represented their only opportunity for survival and a return to a healthy, productive life.
A heartfelt thank you to every member of the Mayo Clinic volunteer team whose dedication and expertise made this extremely successful mission possible. Special recognition goes to Dr. Arman Arghami, Dr. Philip Spencer, Dr. Elaine Griffeth, Mesfin Dollar, Tony Lawler, Samantha Le, Paige Wickum, Mariyum Mir, and Iyerusalem Dollar. Your willingness to share your time and talents has transformed the lives of patients and families and strengthened the future of cardiac care in Ethiopia.
