{"id":"2a5c4aee-2adf-4273-a824-7103216630cf","slug":"bringing-neurosurgical-and-neurological-care-to-the-world","title":"Bringing neurosurgical and neurological care to the world","authors":["Melvin L. Cheatham"],"abstract":"As an online journal, Surgical Neurology focuses upon being “International” in its circulation and outreach. Since first launched just over 3 years ago, it has become the most circulated, widely read online neurosurgical journal in the world. It is unique not only through the manner in which it is available to physicians and surgeons worldwide, but also in being available to anyone who can access the internet, and at no cost. Over the course of the past half-century it has been with excitement and appreciation that those of us practicing in hospitals and medical centers in developed countries have observed the ever increasing level of excellence in medical and surgical care available to patients. However, in less well developed countries this has generally not been the case. In developing countries, trained physicians and surgeons are few in number, availability of modern day medical equipment and supplies tends to be sorely lacking, and ongoing medical education programs are often nonexistent. Several generations ago, the imagination and respect of the world became focused upon a German theologian, musician, and philosopher of great renown who at age 39 and at the very pinnacle of his great success and acclaim gave it all up in order to study medicine. After completing medical school, he left the life of comfort and great recognition he had known in Europe and went to the jungle in Africa. There he built a hospital on the banks of the Ogooue’ river at a place called Lambarene, located in French Equatorial Africa, now Gabon. His name was Dr. Albert Schweitzer. With the exception of making periodic visits back to Europe to raise money through speaking and giving organ recitals, Dr. Schweitzer spent the rest of his life taking care of the medical needs of people who came to the hospital he had built in the jungle 200 miles upstream, and a 14 day journey by river raft from the nearest point of civilization. Dr. Schweitzer did his work as a committed, caring doctor of medicine, remaining there until his death at age 90. People everywhere seemed captivated through reading or hearing the story of this famous German who “had it all” yet opted to “give it all away” through service to others in the remoteness of a West African jungle in order that they might have at least some degree of medical care. Though this once famous man who gave it all up to become a physician then dedicated his life to bringing care to those “whom others had passed by” died nearly 60-years ago, his name is still recognized, known, and highly respected all around the world. As a result of the miraculous changes that have come to us in our time through high-tech telecommunications, computers, international jet travel, and coupled with all of the advances in medical treatment and technology that have occurred during the past half-century, another Dr. Albert Schweitzer appears unlikely. Still, an even more amazing story is unfolding in developing countries today and the words for that story are being written by the huge number of physicians, nurses, and other humanitarian assistance workers who are tirelessly at work in places around the world where there is great need. One of these modern day “Albert Schweitzer like physicians” who have committed their lives to responding to the medical needs of others less fortunate is Gretchen Birbeck, M.D.","thumbnailUrl":"https://sni-digital-videos.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2a5c4aee-2adf-4273-a824-7103216630cf/featured/hero-1782420789491.png","publishDate":"2013-10-22T00:00:00.000Z","doi":"10.4103/2152-7806.120221","categories":["Original Article"],"fullTextUrl":"http://sni.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/3809/SNI-4-143.pdf"}