Honduras Medical Mission Trip

Written by Jennifer Katsura, MSN, CRNA 

 

In September 2025, Debbie Paris-Teho, CRNA, Jen Katsura, CRNA, and Michelle Harvey, MD, volunteered to serve on a medical mission trip to Copán, Honduras, as part of Hernia Repair for the Underserved (HRFU) and Serving the Crossroads. The team worked at Clínica Manos Amigas, a Honduran clinic equipped with three operating rooms that support visiting U.S. surgical brigades who treat patients and train local surgeons. The clinic also houses a dental, eye, and primary care facility, allowing it to serve the community comprehensively.

 

The mission focused primarily on providing general surgery—with an emphasis on hernia repair—for underserved adults in the region. Procedures were performed by Dr. David Chen, Dr. Yuri Novitsky, and Dr. Seth Newman, while Dr. Justin Wagner offered a range of pediatric surgeries. In addition, Honduran surgeons Dr. Omar Soler and Dr. Will Fernandez worked closely with the team, strengthening local surgical capacity. UCLA nurses, surgical technologists, and nurse practitioners largely staffed the perioperative team, which was composed of 35 members.

 

While the trip centered on serving the community, it also held a deep significance for many participants. The mission was undertaken in honor of the late Dr. Jarrod Kaufman—a fellow surgeon and dear friend of Dr. Chen, Dr. Novitsky, and Dr. Newman—who was also President of HRFU. The experience provided a meaningful way to commemorate his legacy, deepen bonds among colleagues, and reconnect with the core values that drew each team member to a career in patient care.

 

It was, in every sense, a special experience—one that left a lasting impression on our practice and strengthened our understanding of what it truly means to deliver compassionate, patient-centered, high-quality care.