American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons Humanitarian Award- 2004

The value of service to others and loyalty to one's homeland was instilled in Oheneba Boachie-Adjei at a very young age. As an eight-year-old in the city of Kumasi , Ghana , Boachie-Adjei nearly died from a severe gastric illness. When the herbal remedy prescribed by a local healer did little to help, his family was fortunately able to track down one of the country's few physicians - a pediatrician who had returned to Ghana after training in the U.K. The doctor came to the young boy's aid, successfully treating him with modern medicine. The experience inspired young Boachie-Adjei to pursue medicine as a career and also served as a reminder to keep his "mother country" of Ghana close to his heart. Today, nearly 45 years later, Dr. Boachie-Adjei is not only Chief of the Scoliosis Service at Hew York's Hospital for Special Surgery, but also founder and chairman of the Foundation of orthopedicsand Complex Spine (FOCOS) - a nonprofit organization that provides Orthopedic and spine care to thousands of underserved people in Ghana and Barbados.

 

Each year, the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) bestows its Humanitarian Award on an Orthopedic surgeon who has gone to extraordinary lengths to make a positive impact on the lives and health of many people. AAOS President James H. Herndon, MD, presented Oheneba Boachie-Adjei, MD, with this year's Humanitarian Award during opening ceremonies of the Academy's 71 st Annual Meeting on Wednesday, March 10, 2004. In recognition of Dr. Boachie-Adjei's commitment, AAOS will donate $5,000 to FOCOS.