Madaktari

Dear Family and Friends,

I hope everyone is doing well and had an enjoyable holiday. In a few weeks I will be running the Disney World Marathon in Orlando, Florida. It will be my first attempt at running this distance. I am writing all of you for support.

As many of you know I spent this past summer working for a non-governmental organization in Tanzania called Madaktari based out of the Medical University of South Carolina. It was founded in 2006 by MUSC neurosurgeon Dilantha Ellegala, MD. Madaktari means doctors in Kiswahili and is a physician training partnership. The guiding principle is the education of Tanzanian physicians with the goal of establishing self-sufficient health care. The organization currently focuses on increasing and expanding the training of neurosurgeons in Tanzania. Presently there are three fully trained neurosurgeons in the entire country of about 41 million. These three must manage all of the traumatic brain injuries, tumors, neurological infections and pediatric hydrocephalus cases in the country.

I am asking for your support in my effort to raise money for Madaktari. Whatever you can donate to sponsor my run is greatly appreciated. Your donations will help fund physicians, nurses and technicians who dedicate their time to training and educating Tanzanian health care workers. Donations will also go to purchase medical textbooks and other teaching aids. You can visit our site at www.madaktari.org

Thank you for your help and support. Have a happy New Year.

Sincerely,

Jordan Magarik