On Wednesday during the COSECSA graduation ceremony, time was taken to acknowledge the significant contributions to COSECSA by three dedicated individuals. Dr. Girma Tefara, of Ethiopian descent, working in Wisconsin and leading the ACS H.O.P.E. (formerly Operation Giving Back, now Health Outreach Program for Equity) was honored for his significant contributions to the College, followed by Dr. Christopher Lavy, an Orthopaedic Surgeon from the UK who has demonstrated consistent work in the regions for decades. These honors culminated with acknowledging Dr. Bruce Steffes. While his biography was being read by COSECSA Secretary General Professor Abebe Bekele, a portion included an extremely lengthy list of countries where Bruce has contributed of his time and expertise. During this portion, of course, quite a few African countries were listed, which prompted an impromptu applause from the audience. This clearly demonstrated their appreciation for Dr. Steffes’ dedicated work not only for COSECSA, but for the continent of Africa. PAACS congratulates Dr. Steffes and thanks him for his example of selfless service to those in need of surgical care and training. Thank you, Bruce!
