Colorectal care across borders: expanding access through global collaboration

Members of the Division of Colorectal & Pelvic Reconstruction at Children’s National Hospital recently traveled to Sao Paulo, Brazil, with the goal of advancing surgical care for children with complex colorectal conditions. Led by Division Chief Marc Levitt, MD, the team collaborated closely with surgeons and nurses at Hospital Municipal Infantil Menino Jesus, performing multiple intricate procedures each day and giving a course to 120+ surgeons from all over Brazil and several surrounding countries. The operations performed and the education that was provided not only gave life-changing care to children in need but also served as critical teaching opportunities, equipping local surgical teams with the skills and knowledge to deliver specialized care in their own communities.  In this way, the team from Children’s National is helping countless children they will never meet, as their new partners in Brazil now have the skills to care for them

This mission was organized through Colorectal Team Overseas, an organization founded and led by Dr. Levitt to advance global pediatric surgical care through education and hands-on training. Colorectal Team Overseas gives Dr. Levitt the opportunity to extend the world-class care delivered at Children’s National to children around the world.

“Every child deserves a chance at a healthy, dignified life, no matter where they are born,” says Dr. Levitt. “On these missions, doctors, nurses and volunteers from the colorectal program at Children’s National and colleagues from around the world work hand-in-hand with medical teams in Brazil — not only to provide surgical care, but to teach, learn and build a foundation for a lasting impact. We are not just performing surgeries; we are restoring futures, together.”