In The News: Summit’s Honduras Health Initiative

At Summit Orthopedics, we support a global definition of community service. This month, the January issue of Saint Paul Magazine showcases the Holy Family Surgery Center in Honduras, founded by Summit physician Dr. Peter Daly.

Dr. Peter Daly has valued service from the time he was a child in Burnsville. His belief in the importance of humanitarian service influenced his personal and professional goals, and prompted his family to volunteer at a Honduran orphanage established by Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos. During that trip, the Dalys struck up a friendship with a young Honduran medical student named Merlin Antunez. Their friendship would have far-reaching consequences.

In 2008, with the support of Summit Orthopedics and after raising $500,000 in seed money, the Dalys opened a 5,000-square-foot surgery center at the orphanage. Since the Holy Family Surgery Center was founded, one-third of the Summit physicians, as well as other staff, have volunteered at the center. Summit Orthopedics has also overseen the shipping of medical supplies to the center, and has equipped the center with a fluoroscopy machine to provide imaging during surgeries.

The January 2016 issue of Saint Paul Magazine explains how the friendship between Daly and Antunez—and the Dalys’ experiences in Honduras—inspired Daly to work with Summit to transform a dream of a global health initiative into a medical reality.

Half of the surgeries performed at Holy Family Surgery Center are in orthopedic specialties, but the center offers surgical services for ear, nose and throat, general, gynecology, ophthalmology, and urology. To date, Holy Family Surgery Center has provided 12,000 consultations and 1,700 surgeries to orphans and other community residents. The young medical student befriended by the Dalys in 2003 completed his training and now serves as the center’s medical director. The Dalys travel to Honduras regularly, and Summit Orthopedics continues to send medical volunteers to the center to provide consultations, conduct surgeries, and give lectures to support better health for Hondurans.

Summit Orthopedics supports healthy communities

Community health flourishes when specialized orthopedic care is conveniently available close to home. Summit Orthopedics is proud of our fellowship-trained subspecialty teams offering the full spectrum of orthopedic expertise in bone, tendon, ligament, muscle, and joint conditions—in addition to our wellness, prevention, and rehabilitation services. We have the expertise to proactively improve fitness, evaluate discomfort, and deliver personalized treatment to quickly and safely return you to the lifestyle you love.

Start your journey to a healthier, more active self. Visit our Facebook page to learn about our wellness services and schedule a free wellness consultation online. Find your orthopedic expert, request an appointment online, or call us at (651) 968–5201 to schedule a consultation.

Summit has convenient locations across the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, serving Minnesota and western Wisconsin. We have state-of-the-art centers for comprehensive orthopedic care in Eagan, MN, Plymouth, MN, Vadnais Heights, MN, and Woodbury, MN, as well as additional community clinics throughout the metro and southern Minnesota.