Operation Selva

When University of Utah otolaryngologist Richard Gurgel, BA ’01, MD ’05, MSCI ’19, boarded a plane to Rwanda in August 2025, he carried aboard more than just his surgical instruments: he carried with him the hopes of 10 children who had never heard their parents’ voices.

Gurgel was part of a humanitarian trip to perform surgery using cochlear implants, devices that restore hearing loss. The surgeries were the first of their kind in Rwanda’s history. Supported by Gary and Ann Crocker at the Sorenson Legacy Foundation and coordinated with Rwanda’s Ministry of Health; Med-El; and Michael Fairbanks, CEO of Akagera Pharmaceuticals, the mission brought together international industry partners, local ENT surgeons, and audiologists.

“The doctors and nurses I met were hungry for education,” Gurgel says. “They want to be able to provide these services to their own people. I was immediately impressed with their investment in making this endeavor a success.” 

The humanitarian trip was the first step in a broader partnership between the university and Rwanda’s Ministry of Health. For Gurgel, the experience proved to be the highlight of his career.

“To be able to tell parents that we were able to do everything we planned to restore hearing for their deaf children and to see the hope in their eyes—that was the most meaningful moment for me,” he says.