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History

Surgical Friends Foundation was founded in 2009 by Doctors Kami Parsa, Andrew Ordon and Jay Calvert. After volunteering as a reconstructive surgeon on several missions for other organizations, it was Dr. Parsa’s desire to create a surgical foundation which reached out to all those who suffer from physical deformities, whether they reside in the US or abroad and without regard to what specific type of reconstructive surgery is required. With the help of Dr. Ordon and Calvert they were able to start the foundation. Since its inception they have operated on more than 100 children and young adults from around the world and hope to reach out to millions.

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Mission

Surgical Friends Foundation exists to provide reconstructive surgery and post-operative care to individuals living with physical deformities who do not have access to quality medical care. There are millions of people in the United States and around the world who live painful lives due to physical deformities. These deformities could be congenital, post traumatic or acquired in nature. Unfortunately due to lack of access to quality care and/or availability of monetary funds these individuals never seek help and continue to suffer. The mission of Surgical Friends is to unite philanthropists, volunteer reconstructive surgeons, and anesthesiologists with patients who live with difficult and life-threatening deformities and to teach and mentor medical teams from developing countries on new life-saving surgical techniques.

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How We Work

Surgical Friends Foundation exists to repair damage caused by birth defects, accidents, tumors & disease. They follow up with an intentional aftercare and rehabilitation program, and they teach physicians and fellows during the process so they may carry on the Surgical Friends mission and ultimately create scores of Surgical Friends Medical Teams around the world.

The Surgical Friends team provides surgical care both in the US and abroad.

Domestic Mission

Surgical Friends Foundation takes patients at their clinic in Beverly Hills. Any patient with a physical deformity that requires reconstructive surgery, regardless of race, age, gender, or place of birth will qualify to be evaluated by the foundation. These deformities may be congenital in nature or post-traumatic. Typically these patients lack adequate insurance to pay for quality healthcare, or they come to us from developing countries that do not have access to medical care.

To be selected, each patient will submit an online application to be reviewed by the committee. A predetermined committee formed by a physician and medical providers will review the patient’s application, including a detailed medical history and medical records. Once determined that a patient qualifies for a reconstructive surgery, the patient will be selected to receive a full comprehensive, in person or virtual consultation, with an assigned qualified reconstructive surgeon or reconstructive surgical team. A surgical plan will be determined by the reconstructive surgeon assigned to the case, who at that point will make the diagnosis and outline the necessary procedure(s).

If you know a patient or you yourself would like to be considered for possible life altering surgical treatment, and you meet our criteria, please submit the necessary application.

International Mission

Medical teams from developing countries contact Surgical Friends and request their unique expertise in reconstructive surgery and care. Globally, poverty and limited access to medical care yields staggering deformity rates. Children born with birth defects and those with deformities from injuries due to war or terrorist acts suffer an almost inconceivable fate. Many are abandoned or ostracized.  While many countries have facilities to take care of these children's basic needs, they cannot give children with deformities what they really need — corrective surgery to restore their emotional well-being, physical acceptance and quality of life.

The local team will ensure that over the course of their stay the most serious cases are evaluated and provided with the necessary surgery and aftercare. During the trip great care and intention is given to training the local medical team, and to remain a resource to them, establishing a life-long relationship. Ultimately these young patients will have better access to quality care and skilled volunteer reconstructive surgeons as a direct result of the trip and the physician training and support.

The medical team that volunteers their time and expertise to Surgical Friends possess undaunted dedication, facing some of the harshest environments and obstacles to achieve their goals. Volunteers are proud ambassadors of goodwill, not only to the patients themselves, but also to their families, communities, and homelands. Surgical Friends anticipates that volunteers will be eager to return again and again to provide life-changing surgeries for the children, each trip transforming into a labor of love.

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Medical Team

	Andrew Ordon, M.D. For over two decades, Dr. Andrew Ordon has been an acclaimed surgeon in the area of aesthetic and reconstructive surgery with a private practice in Beverly Hills and Rancho Mirage, California. Dr. Ordon received his medical degree at University of Southern California, and his General Surgery and Head and Neck Surgery training at USC, UCLA, and Loma Linda respectively. He then completed his training program in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the prestigious Lenox Hill Hospital/Manhattan Eye and Ear Infirmary in New York City. Dr. Ordon is one of the stars on CBS’s hit daytime talk show "The Doctor’s", recently nominated for an Emmy in their first season. Dr. Ordon is also one of the co-founders of Surgical Friends Foundation. Visit www.drordon.com for more information.
	Jay Calvert, M.D. Dr. Jay Calvert is a board-certified plastic surgeon, certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. He practices in Beverly Hills and Orange County, California where he performs all types of plastic surgery with a special interest and expertise in rhinoplasty (nose reshaping). Dr. Calvert received his medical degree from Cornell University and completed his residency training in General and Plastic Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh. He is one of the co-founders of Surgical Friends Foundation. Visit www.jaycalvertmd.com for more information.
	Kami Parsa, M.D. Dr. Kami Parsa is an oculoplastic and orbital reconstructive surgeon specializing in plastic and reconstructive surgery around the eyes and face. His practice is located in Beverly Hills, California. Dr. Parsa received his medical degree at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine. He completed his residency training in Ophthalmology at USC, and his fellowship in Oculoplastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the University of Miami’s Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, ranked the #1 eye hospital by U.S. News and World Report. Dr. Parsa is one of the co-founders of Surgical Friends Foundation. Visit  www.oculoplastic.info for more information.
	Kevin Brenner,  M.D. Board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Kevin Brenner specializes in all types of cosmetic and reconstructive surgery and has a special interest in rhinoplasty, post-pregnancy body rejuvenation (mommy makeover), and reconstruction of facial skin cancer defects. He received his medical degree at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. Dr. Brenner completed his General Surgery residency at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center and Cook County Hospital in Chicago, and his Plastic Surgery residency at University of California Irvine. He now practices in Beverly Hills, California. Visit   www.drkevinbrenner.com for more information.
	Ritu Chopra, M.D. Dr. Ritu Chopra received his medical degree from Boston University and his residency training in General Surgery at Cedars Sinai Medical Center. He went on to complete his fellowship in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Albert Einstein School of Medicine in New York City. Dr. Chopra currently practices in Beverly Hills and Rancho Mirage, California with Dr. Andrew Ordon, and is closely involved with the hit daytime talk show "The Doctors". Visit www.drordon.com for more information.
	Brian Dickinson, M.D. Dr. Brian Dickinson is a general plastic surgeon in private practice in Orange County and Beverly Hills, California. He received his medical degree from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City and training in General and Plastic Surgery at the UCLA Medical Center. While Dr. Dickinson practices all types of plastic surgery, his focus is on breast augmentation and reconstruction. Visit www.drbriandickinson.com for more information.

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Board of Directors

Kami Parsa, MDPresident

Mike KristensenTreasurer

Avid Parsa Secretary

Jay Calvert, MD

Andrew Ordon, MD

Jacob Warnock

Anne Kelly Director of Planning & Marketing

Kelly brings over seven years of marketing, public relations, and communications experience to Surgical Friends Foundation. Kelly previously was Marketing Manager, Americas for REL Consultancy Group, a global business consulting firm, overseeing all media, marketing, and communications for the Americas region. Kelly also served several years as a public relations specialist for a start-up company in Kansas City and several years as a television producer for NewsTV, Inc. Some clients have included Access Hollywood, Extra TV, ABC News, The Maury Povich Show, and VH1 Behind the Music to name a few. Kelly is a 1997 graduate from the University of Pittsburgh with a BA in English.

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Stats & Facts

Surgical Friends Foundation

• Founded in 2009 by Dr's Kami Parsa, Andrew Ordon & Jay Calvert
• Each international surgical procedure costs $250 per patient
• Each US surgical procedure costs $5000 to 25,000
• Over 98% of our funds go directly to surgical missions

The Need  

• For many of the 2.4 billion people living in the world’s poorest regions, only 5% of the needed emergency and essential surgery is performed.
• Estimations show that in the US and Europe nearly 10,000 operations are performed annually for every 100,000 persons. In places such as Tanzania, Pakistan, and Malawi the number is roughly 300 per 100,000.
• Medical expenses are cited as the reason for bankruptcy in about half of filers.
• In today’s conflicts, 90% of the victims are civilians and if they survive they are left with physical deformities
• In most developing countries, children with deformities are not allowed into schools

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