POP is a nonprofit (501c3). Each year we bring a team of medical experts and operate on children with orthopedic conditions in the developing world. We go beyond mission work, focusing on sustainability by educating our Dominican colleagues and providing support to our patients (sponsorship) and the public hospital we serve in the form of hospital improvements (equipment, repairs and renovations). To date, 523 children in the Dominican Republic have been operated (most for scoliosis) because of our efforts. Our organization is also unique in that it is totally run by volunteers. No one is salaried. So all donations go straight to our efforts! Founded by Drs. Enrico and and Madelyn Stazzone after a successful scoliosis mission trip to the children's hospital in Santiago, Dominican Republic, POP has gone on to make 11 yearly mission trips. POP is based out of Carmel, IN. Every year we travel to the third world with a team of US medical experts (doctors, nurses, physician assistants and technologists) and perform free scoliosis (crooked back) surgeries on impoverished children. Currently, we are focusing our efforts in Santiago, Dominican Republic where a total of 523 children have been corrected in four years; 103 during our 11 missions, 11 via sponsorship and 409 by the hands of the Dominican surgeons, utilizing the techniques learned during our mission trips. Our team focuses on the education of the local doctors and medical staff. Thank you for learning more about POP. Please visit our Web site: www.pophopeteam.org
