Children's Surgery International

11/26/2025

✨ Twin Cities friends — join us for some holiday cheer at our Holiday Open House on Tuesday, December 2, from 3–6 p.m. Enjoy light refreshments, connect with our community, and hear the latest CSI updates.

If you ordered holiday greens through our recent fundraiser, you can pick them up at the event. We’ll also have a limited assortment available for purchase.

Stop by to say hello, grab your greens, and share a little seasonal joy. We’d love to see you!

11/24/2025

What a week and what a team. As we look back on our time in The Gambia, we’re celebrating the compassion, skill, and partnership our volunteers brought to every moment.

A special shoutout to those who faced major travel delays on the way home — some taking 45+ hours to return stateside. Travel headaches take a toll, and your commitment means everything. Thank you for giving your time, energy, and expertise, both in the OR and throughout the journey. We’re grateful for you, and for the impact we created together for children, their families, and our medical partners.

We also thank Impact Health The Gambia and the Embassy of the Republic of The Gambia in the United States of America for their collaboration and partnership in making this trip the success that it was.

11/21/2025

Our team has begun their long journey home from The Gambia. We’re proud to share the incredible work they accomplished with our partners. In total, 26 children received life-changing surgical care — 11 general surgery cases and 15 urology cases.

Beyond the scheduled cases and hands-on teaching, the team showed exceptional dedication: team medical lead, Dr. Karen Resch evaluated many walk-in patients and even connected one child with another international surgical team that happened to be in town. Our clinicians also supported their Gambian colleagues with several urgent pediatric cases.

Thank you to everyone who supported Give to the Max Day yesterday. Your generosity helped raise nearly $25,000, including an increased $10,000 match — CSI’s strongest Give to the Max Day ever. We’re deeply grateful for this incredible community.

When we work together, impact like this becomes possible — in The Gambia and beyond.


Impact Health The Gambia
Embassy of the Republic of The Gambia in the United States of America

11/20/2025

Children in resource-limited communities need the chance to grow, to eat, to speak, and to live without pain or embarrassment — to simply be children.
Today on Give to the Max Day, YOU can help make that possible.

A generous volunteer traveling to Liberia with CSI in January 2026 is matching every dollar up to $5,000.

That means your gift today brings twice the healing. Twice the hope.

💛 Donate now and change lives, one child at a time.
https://www.givemn.org/organization/Childrens-Surgery-International

CSI is a MN-based humanitarian organization that provides free surgical services to children in need around the world. Make a lasting impact with your gift!

11/19/2025

Your generosity is changing lives in The Gambia — and today and tomorrow your donation can go twice as far.

It’s been a busy Tuesday and Wednesday for our team: 12 more surgeries completed, along with targeted medical training including essential education on colostomy bag care.

This is the heart of CSI’s mission: care and capacity building, side by side.
But none of this happens without YOU. Donors are the driving force behind every surgery, every training session, every parent who breathes easier because their child finally received the care they needed.

Tomorrow is Give to the Max Day — every gift made now through tomorrow will be doubled thanks to a $5,000 match from a volunteer traveling with CSI to Liberia in January. That means twice the surgeries, twice the training, twice the lives changed.
Your support fuels teams like the one in The Gambia so they can keep showing up for children in need of specialized care.

Help us continue this life-changing work with a gift: https://www.givemn.org/organization/Childrens-Surgery-International

11/18/2025

Together with Impact Health The Gambia, CSI was featured on Kerr Fatou Media in the The Gambia. Watch to see the team!

11/17/2025

Our first day of surgeries is underway — 9 children are receiving essential surgical care, ranging in age from 1 year to 12 years old. The day includes hands-on training and collaboration with our local partners, highlighted by a major milestone: the first laparoscopic case CSI has performed in The Gambia.

The team also led education sessions with nurses and parents on caring for children with hernias and hypospadias, building skills and confidence that directly support families and their children.

More updates to come as the week continues. 💛


Impact Health The Gambia
Embassy of the Republic of The Gambia in the United States of America

11/16/2025

✨ Screening Day Success! ✨ Volunteers screened 29 children today.

Tomorrow, surgeries begin — bringing not only the chance to provide life-changing, specialized care, but also to train, learn, and collaborate with our incredible local partners.

11/15/2025

It’s been a couple long travel days to The Gambia for our team!

Meanwhile, the advance group was working to secure supplies and finalize plans with our partners at Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital. They even found time for a little PR!

Today the team can rest and recharge ahead of the busy week, beginning with patient screening and set-up tomorrow! 🙌🏻 🇬🇲

11/13/2025

Our main team of volunteers is en route to The Gambia and the advance team has safely arrived.

Over the coming days, they'll be providing pediatric urology and general surgeries, medical care, professional training, and supply donations — transforming the lives of children and families.

📍 Follow along for stories, photos, and updates this coming week!


Embassy of the Republic of The Gambia in the United States of America
Impact Health The Gambia

10/30/2025

Last call! Only one day left to order your holiday greens through CSI.
Sales close end of day tomorrow, Thursday, Oct. 30 → www.gertensfundraising.com
(Store ID: 878)
Pick up at our Holiday Open House on Dec. 2, 3–6 p.m. (alternate arrangements available).
Let’s deck the halls and change lives!

10/28/2025

66 life-changing surgeries last week in Ethiopia — and the hands-on surgical training to keep that impact growing.
Thank you to our volunteers, donors, and partners who make this work possible.

College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia.
Felege Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital