In the fall of 2008, our core members—Dr. Asha Bale, Dr. Ziad Sifri, and Vishnu Hoff—traveled together to Ghana to participate in a medical mission. Most of the doctors, nurses, and anesthesiologists who comprised the surgical component of this mission had worked together for some years, and still others, like Vishnu Hoff, who assisted in the operating room and served as the organization’s photographer, were new friends, but all were there to realize a common goal—aiding this organization in their goal to help the community by providing critical surgical care. After this successful mission, our core members regrouped and soon came to realize that their particular skills would be even better utilized in a focused effort, where surgery could be the foundation of the care they provide. And so they formed International Surgical Health Initiative (ISHI).