The NuVasive Spine Foundation (NSF), a non-profit organisation founded and managed by the company, has reached a cumulative milestone of approximately US$18.4m contributed since the Foundation’s inception in 2009. To date, NuVasive has donated approximately US$14.8m in surgical products. The announcement follows the successful completion of the 8th Annual NuVasive Spine Foundation San Diego Golf Tournament (23 August, Maderas Golf Club, California, USA).
The Foundation’s annual flagship fundraising event supports the organisation’s mission “to bring world-class surgeons and innovative spine surgery to disadvantaged communities locally and across the globe”. In the past six years, the Foundation’s philanthropic impact has expanded from providing surgical services to a single village outside Nairobi, Kenya to supporting 80 surgical mission trips to patients in 28 countries including Kenya, Belize, India, Nepal, Ethiopia, Syria, Turkey, Romania, Belize, El Salvador, Haiti and Zimbabwe, among other countries.
“NuVasive has an incredibility strong corporate culture and one that exemplifies an ’attitude of gratitude’ spirit that embraces giving back to the community. This year’s annual golf tournament generated record donations thanks to the shared commitment and generosity displayed by the San Diego business community, our shareowners who donate their time and money to this cause, and our national business partners, all of whom have contributed so much over the years,” said Gregory T Lucier, NuVasive’s chairman and chief executive officer. “NuVasive has advanced cutting-edge spine technologies that reflect our deep commitment to improving patient outcomes all over the world with the NuVasive Spine Foundation providing us an exceptional opportunity to offer life-changing surgeries to communities in need. We are very gratified to be able to continue our work in regions of need across the globe and provide advanced care to those in need through the tremendous efforts of NSF.”
In addition to organising the surgeons who volunteer their time and expertise to further the NSF mission, the Foundation also emphasises “expertise transfer” to ensure that surgeons in disadvantaged communities are able to create self-sustaining spinal surgery programmes once a mission trip concludes.
This year’s golf tournament raised a record US$377,000. Donations resulting from this tournament will provide disadvantaged communities with access to spinal procedures through the funding of mission trips, the sponsoring of patient treatments and the purchasing of essential medical equipment for hospitals and clinics. The number of yearly missions has more than doubled since 2011 and the Foundation is on track to continue to expand its programme development.
