CT spine surgeon’s foundation provides life-changing care during humanitarian missions to Jamaica
Dr. Robert L. Brady recently returned from his latest medical mission to Jamaica where he and a team of volunteer surgeons provided life-changing, specialized spinal care to 11 children.
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Dr. Robert L. Brady, a spine specialist and surgeon at OrthoConnecticut, credits his parents with his career path.
“Son of a vascular surgeon and ICU nurse, both came from Jamaica,” Brady told News 12. “My dad taught me how to be academic and pursue my career. My mom, I always say, taught me how to care for people.”
Brady said when he graduated medical school, his mom told him, “I know you’re going to do well, but I want you to do good.”
Brady has throughout his career, beyond his clinical practice, through the Straight Caribbean Spine Foundation, which he formed in 2006. The nonprofit provides life-changing surgeries to kids with severe spinal deformities in his parents' native country.
“We've been going for the last 20, 21 years, twice a year. It's the longest running scoliosis program in Jamaica. We've operated on over 400 children,” Brady explained.
Though Brady grew up in the United States, his family would visit Jamaica every year to see relatives.
“The Jamaica that I saw is different than the Jamaica that most people see on vacation. There's a fair amount of poverty, access to health care's not great,” Brady explained.
That’s why the foundation's charitable work is that much more important.
“Here in the States, we have access to things like bracing, physical therapy. They don't have that there, so by the time we see the deformities, they're kind of way past the point of conservative treatment,” Brady stated.
Brady recently returned from his latest mission where the volunteer surgical team operated on 11 kids.
“You literally change their life, and it’s tremendous,” Brady said, adding that that’s not just for the patients and their own families.
It enriches his own life.
“Even though it’s a charitable mission, it's really become a part of my practice, and I don't think I’d be able to do what I do here if I didn't go there twice a year.” Brady said.
To learn more about the foundation's work, click here or check out Brady's recent podcast appearance.
