I am seeking support for a two-week academic and clinical mission focused on strengthening pediatric surgical oncology care in sub-Saharan Africa through education, mentorship, and long-term partnership development. I am a Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatric Surgery at the University of Michigan, where I serve as Surgical Director of the Mott Solid Tumor Oncology Program, Vice Chair of Global Surgery, and Director of the Michigan Center for Global Surgery. My clinical and academic work centers on improving outcomes for children with complex solid tumors, particularly in resource-limited settings. A central component of this mission is Teaching Oncology Surgery for Children in Africa (TOSCA), a newly developed pediatric surgical oncology (PSO) course designed to address critical training gaps for graduating pediatric surgery trainees and early-career consultants. I am both an organizer and instructor for the course. Childhood cancer in Africa is often diagnosed at advanced stages, and for many solid tumors, cure depends on complete surgical resection performed according to oncologic principles. While pediatric surgery training programs have expanded across the continent, opportunities for focused education remain limited. TOSCA is a two-day, in-person course that will be held in Lagos, Nigeria, in April 2026. The curriculum is adapted through African surgeon input to emphasize context-appropriate care. Teaching methods include didactic lectures, interactive case discussions, and a multidisciplinary mock tumor board. Following the course, I will travel to Rwanda and Zambia to build on existing partnerships through hands-on operative mentorship, clinical care, and training in complex pediatric solid tumor surgery. I have previously mentored the first pediatric hepatoblastoma resections in Rwanda, and this visit will focus on deepening sustainable training pathways and collaborative research efforts surrounding outcomes for children with cancer in LMIC.
The primary population served by this project is pediatric surgery trainees and early-career pediatric surgeons in sub-Saharan Africa who care for children with solid tumors in settings with limited subspecialty support. These surgeons frequently manage complex cancers with delayed presentation and constrained resources, yet often lack access to structured pediatric surgical oncology training or ongoing mentorship. Through education and hands-on collaboration, this project directly supports surgeons working in Nigeria, Rwanda, and Zambia, while fostering regional and international professional networks that extend beyond the duration of the visit. These relationships are particularly important for surgeons seeking guidance on complex cases, developing oncology expertise, or pursuing academic and research careers. The ultimate beneficiaries are children with solid tumors and their families. By strengthening oncologic surgical skills and multidisciplinary collaboration, the project aims to improve access to safe, curative surgery and reduce disparities in outcomes for pediatric cancer patients in the region. In addition, the project supports the development of research networks focused on nutritional, environmental, and socioeconomic factors influencing surgical outcomes. This work is intended to inform equity-focused interventions and care models that can improve pediatric cancer outcomes across resource-disparate settings globally.
This project is designed to generate both immediate and sustained impact across education, clinical care, and research for children with solid tumors in resource-disparate settings. In the short term, TOSCA and the accompanying clinical mission will strengthen pediatric surgical oncology capacity by equipping surgeons with practical, context-appropriate skills, reinforcing oncologic principles, and fostering durable mentorship networks. I expect participating surgeons to gain increased confidence managing complex solid tumors, improved engagement in multidisciplinary care, and ongoing access to expert consultation beyond the course itself. Clinically, hands-on mentorship in Rwanda and Zambia will directly support the care of children with complex solid tumors while helping local teams refine operative techniques, perioperative decision-making, and postoperative management. By building on existing partnerships rather than creating parallel systems, this work prioritizes sustainability and local leadership in advancing pediatric cancer care. I also hope to continue the relationships through the development of a multinational, multicenter prospective study examining how food insecurity, environmental exposures, and socioeconomic factors shape surgical and oncologic outcomes for children with solid tumors across differently resourced and financed health systems.
The TOSCA course — Teaching Oncology Surgery for Children in Africa — was held April 13–14, 2026, in Lagos, Nigeria, and represented an important regional effort to strengthen education and capacity in pediatric surgical oncology. The course brought together and sponsored more than 50 trainees from 15 countries across Africa, creating a unique opportunity for surgeons and surgical trainees from diverse practice settings to learn together, share experiences, and build professional networks focused on improving care for children with cancer.
The curriculum emphasized practical, context-relevant approaches to the diagnosis and surgical management of common pediatric solid tumors, as well as the importance of multidisciplinary care involving surgery, oncology, pathology, radiology, anesthesia, nursing, and supportive services. Through a combination of didactic lectures, case-based discussions, interactive teaching, and collaborative problem-solving, participants strengthened their understanding of tumor evaluation, operative planning, perioperative care, and long-term follow-up. Pre- and post-course assessments demonstrated a 15% increase in core knowledge, highlighting the educational impact of the course and its value as a capacity-building initiative.
Beyond the formal teaching sessions, TOSCA 2026 provided an important platform for mentorship, regional collaboration, and the development of future partnerships. The gathering fostered relationships among trainees, faculty, and institutions across Africa, with the shared goal of improving access to safe, timely, and effective surgical oncology care for children.
Following the TOSCA course, I visited University College Hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria, as a visiting professor. During this visit, I delivered pediatric surgery grand rounds and had the opportunity to learn more about the clinical, educational, and research activities of the pediatric surgical team. The visit allowed for meaningful discussion around shared priorities, local challenges, and opportunities for collaboration. In particular, we explored potential partnerships focused on mentorship, trainee education, clinical case discussion, and longer-term academic collaboration.
I subsequently traveled to Kigali, Rwanda, where I reconnected with trainees and colleagues and participated in planning pediatric surgical oncology procedures. This visit built on training relationships and collaborative efforts developed over prior years and provided an opportunity to witness the continued growth of pediatric surgery in Rwanda. A particularly memorable case was assisting with the repair of an abdominal wall hernia in a 9-year-old child who had been the first surviving patient with gastroschisis at that institution. The case was a powerful reminder of the progress that has been made in neonatal and pediatric surgical care, and of the importance of sustained training, mentorship, and institutional partnerships.
Together, the TOSCA course and subsequent visits to Nigeria and Rwanda reinforced the value of longitudinal, bidirectional collaboration in global pediatric surgery. These activities supported not only knowledge transfer and technical education, but also relationship-building, mentorship, and shared commitment to improving surgical outcomes for children across Africa. I am immensely grateful to the Doximity Foundation for their support of the trip and opportunity!
