RealSelf Fellowship

RealSelf Fellowship

Bringing confidence to people worldwide

Bringing confidence to people worldwide

The RealSelf Fellowship has awarded funding to medical professionals who donate their time and expertise to deliver care and training in underserved communities around the world.

Each Fellow received $7,500 to be applied toward a nonprofit-sponsored humanitarian trip with the potential to further the RealSelf mission to bring confidence to people worldwide.

Supporting humanitarianism among medical professionals

More than 5 billion people lack access to basic surgical care to help reparable conditions like birth defects, burns, and other injuries.*

That’s why we award funding—to support vital, life-changing humanitarian trips that make a real impact on people’s confidence and quality of life.

*The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery

“Through our global giving efforts, we hope to ensure transformative care for those most in need and furthest from access.”

-Tom Seery, Founder & Executive Chairman

Meet the RealSelf Fellows

RealSelf has granted more than $285,000 to support humanitarian efforts abroad.

Our Fellows have partnered with organizations like ReSurge International and Project Medishare to volunteer their medical services where there is tremendous need for free access to reconstructive surgery and training.


David M. Alessi, MD FACS
Beverly Hills, CA
Providing reconstructive services with Face Forward in March, 2018.

Frank P. Fechner, MD
Worcester, MA
Traveling to Hanoi, Vietnam with Face-to-Face in November, 2018.

Mark Hanikeri, MBBS FRACS
Perth, Australia
Traveling to Cebu, Philippines with Operation Rainbow in June, 2018.

Monica Kieu, DO
Marina del Rey, CA
Traveling to Ho Chi Minh City with the Project Vietnam Foundation in March, 2018

Wayne F. Larrabee Jr., MD
Seattle, WA
Traveling to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with Seattle Anesthesia Outreach in March, 2018.

Derek Lou, MD
Houston, TX
Traveling to Guerrero, Mexico with the Crystal Foundation in May, 2018.

James M. Pearson, MD
Beverly Hills, CA
Traveling to Hanoi, Vietnam with HUGS in March, 2018.

Ifeolumipo O. Sofola, MD FACS
Houston, TX
Traveling to Kigali, Rwanda with Face the Future in February, 2018.

Laura A. Sudarsky, MD FACS
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Traveling to Guatemala with Healing the Children in November, 2018.

Oumar Coulibaly, MD
Bamako, Mali
Traveled to Kathmandu, Nepal with ReSurge International on November 15, 2016.

Matthew Hansen, MBBS, FRACS
West Perth, Western Australia
Traveled to Mwanza, Tanzania with Rafiki Surgical Missions on May 12, 2017.

Matheson A. Harris, MD
Salt Lake City, UT
Traveled to Les Cayes, Haiti with Charity Vision and LDS Charities on August 27, 2017.

Jed H. Horowitz, MD, FACS
Newport Beach, CA
Traveled to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico with Plasticos Foundation on June 22, 2017.

John Nigriny, MD
Lebanon, NH
Traveled to Maputo, Mozambique with ReSurge International on April 22, 2017.

Frank Agullo, MD
El Paso, TX
Traveled to Puebla, Mexico with Smile Network International on November 3, 2017.

Patrick J. Byrne, MD, FACS
Lutherville, MD
Traveled to Managua and Chichigalpa, Nicaragua with The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Aproquen on February 2, 2017.

Joseph S. Gruss, MD
Seattle, WA
Traveled to Hanoi, Vietnam with ReSurge International on December 12, 2016.

Larry S. Nichter, MD, MS, FACS
Newport Beach, CA
Traveled to Havana, Cuba and Guatemala City, Guatemala with the Plasticos Foundation on November 2, 2016.

Virender K. Singhal, MD
Kansas City, MO
Traveled to Managua, Nicaragua with ReSurge International on March 27, 2017.

Kristin Stueber, MD
Springfield, MA
Traveled to Guayaquil, Ecuador with ReSurge International on January 27, 2017.

Seth R. Thaller, MD
Miami, FL
Traveled to Port Au Prince, Haiti with Project Medishare on January 16, 2017.

Andrew Wexler, MD
Los Angeles, CA
Traveled to Harare, Zimbabwe with ReSurge International on February 6, 2017.

David M. Alessi, MD FACS
Beverly Hills, CA
Providing reconstructive services with Face Forward in March, 2018.

Frank P. Fechner, MD
Worcester, MA
Traveling to Hanoi, Vietnam with Face-to-Face in November, 2018.

Mark Hanikeri, MBBS FRACS
Perth, Australia
Traveling to Cebu, Philippines with Operation Rainbow in June, 2018.
View All Fellows

Monica Kieu, DO
Marina del Rey, CA
Traveling to Ho Chi Minh City with the Project Vietnam Foundation in March, 2018

Wayne F. Larrabee Jr., MD
Seattle, WA
Traveling to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with Seattle Anesthesia Outreach in March, 2018.

Derek Lou, MD
Houston, TX
Traveling to Guerrero, Mexico with the Crystal Foundation in May, 2018.

James M. Pearson, MD
Beverly Hills, CA
Traveling to Hanoi, Vietnam with HUGS in March, 2018.

Ifeolumipo O. Sofola, MD FACS
Houston, TX
Traveling to Kigali, Rwanda with Face the Future in February, 2018.

Laura A. Sudarsky, MD FACS
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Traveling to Guatemala with Healing the Children in November, 2018.

Oumar Coulibaly, MD
Bamako, Mali
Traveled to Kathmandu, Nepal with ReSurge International on November 15, 2016.

Matthew Hansen, MBBS, FRACS
West Perth, Western Australia
Traveled to Mwanza, Tanzania with Rafiki Surgical Missions on May 12, 2017.

Matheson A. Harris, MD
Salt Lake City, UT
Traveled to Les Cayes, Haiti with Charity Vision and LDS Charities on August 27, 2017.

Jed H. Horowitz, MD, FACS
Newport Beach, CA
Traveled to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico with Plasticos Foundation on June 22, 2017.

John Nigriny, MD
Lebanon, NH
Traveled to Maputo, Mozambique with ReSurge International on April 22, 2017.

Frank Agullo, MD
El Paso, TX
Traveled to Puebla, Mexico with Smile Network International on November 3, 2017.

Patrick J. Byrne, MD, FACS
Lutherville, MD
Traveled to Managua and Chichigalpa, Nicaragua with The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Aproquen on February 2, 2017.

Joseph S. Gruss, MD
Seattle, WA
Traveled to Hanoi, Vietnam with ReSurge International on December 12, 2016.

Larry S. Nichter, MD, MS, FACS
Newport Beach, CA
Traveled to Havana, Cuba and Guatemala City, Guatemala with the Plasticos Foundation on November 2, 2016.

Virender K. Singhal, MD
Kansas City, MO
Traveled to Managua, Nicaragua with ReSurge International on March 27, 2017.

Kristin Stueber, MD
Springfield, MA
Traveled to Guayaquil, Ecuador with ReSurge International on January 27, 2017.

Seth R. Thaller, MD
Miami, FL
Traveled to Port Au Prince, Haiti with Project Medishare on January 16, 2017.

Andrew Wexler, MD
Los Angeles, CA
Traveled to Harare, Zimbabwe with ReSurge International on February 6, 2017.

Global Giving at RealSelf

We are excited to partner with two organizations who share our belief in extending the life-changing power of confidence to people around the globe. Through ongoing programs with Mission: Restore and ReSurge International, we aim to deepen and expand the impact of our global giving efforts.

The first initiative will support the next generation of female surgeons in Africa through Mission: Restore’s Women in Surgery campaign.

Are you a medical provider who wants to help us close the gap on global access to reconstructive surgery or medical treatments?


Explore past trips and learn more about joining a surgical training effort by emailing Mission: Restore.

Apply to become a medical volunteer with ReSurge International by completing their application form.