Of the 313 million surgeries done around the world each year, only 6% of them occur in under-resourced countries.1 This isn鈥檛 because the need is less. 鈥淭hey just don鈥檛 have the tools,鈥 says Janet Thomason, Director of National Procurement at Project C.U.R.E. 鈥淚n the United States, laying people on the floor on a tarp seems inhumane, but in many countries, there aren鈥檛 better options. A Stryker bed is a life changing donation. This is what drives the relationship between Stryker and Project C.U.R.E.
鈥淎nd it鈥檚 not just better for the patient,鈥 adds Dr. Douglas Jackson, CEO of Project C.U.R.E. 鈥淵ou just changed the entire world for a nurse. You don鈥檛 have a 100- pound nurse moving a 250-pound man. It鈥檚 a miserable day for someone working a 10-hour shift. That equipment revolutionizes healthcare, not only for the patient, but the provider, too.鈥 Similarly, the impact of Stryker鈥檚 surgical instruments significantly changes healthcare. 鈥淲here Project C.U.R.E. works, the tools are not there, but on the flipside, the talent is there,鈥 says Janet. 鈥淭here are surgeons and healthcare professionals who just need these tools to take care of their communities.鈥
鈥淪tryker and Project C.U.R.E. make a great partnership because we share a similar determination,鈥 says Douglas. 鈥淚t comes down to saving lives and changing lives. And that really isn鈥檛 possible without partners like Stryker.鈥
For under-resourced countries around the world, healthcare professionals and caregivers are faced with daily equipment and supply shortfalls that cause delays in providing care to patients.1 Everyday needs from consumables to surgical equipment are lacking, forcing critical decisions by care teams. In the United States, the shortages during the COVID pandemic were a glimpse into the challenges facing healthcare providers on a regular basis.
is the world鈥檚 largest distributor of donated medical equipment and supplies to resource-limited communities, touching the lives of patients, families and children in more than 135 countries.3 Each week, on average, Project C.U.R.E. delivers three to five semi-truck-sized containers packed with medical equipment and supplies from seven large U.S. warehouses to local hospitals and clinics in desperate need. In addition, Project C.U.R.E. provides essential supplies and equipment in times of crisis. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Project C.U.R.E. has successfully accomplished over 172 shipments worth over $48 million.2
鈥淚 do think our containers bring hope. It鈥檚 not just the healthcare; it鈥檚 the message that the world is listening and on your side. To Ukrainians, that is almost as helpful as the supplies themselves,鈥 said Laura Conti, Director of Client Relations at Project C.U.R.E.
Since 2007, Stryker and Project C.U.R.E. have been working together to deliver medical relief to communities experiencing incredible poverty and to provide essential supplies and equipment in times of crisis. 鈥淲e started with Stryker in the orthopedic tools division, receiving drills, saws and other essential items for surgical procedures. That original relationship continues, and it has grown to include beds, sterilization equipment, gurneys, supplies and other items,鈥 says Dr. Douglas Jackson, CEO of Project C.U.R.E. 鈥淕oing forward, we look forward to continuing our partnership by incorporating other product lines and divisions."
In recent years, Stryker elevated Project C.U.R.E. to "signature partner" status, which means that Stryker provides monetary donations to support their efforts in addition to product donations. Stryker鈥檚 portfolio of signature partners help advance access to healthcare and healthcare technology globally. We collaborate with Project C.U.R.E. to provide products where needed, including opportunities to support survivors of natural disasters.
This isn鈥檛 because the need is less. 鈥淭hey just don鈥檛 have the tools,鈥 says Janet Thomason, Director of National Procurement at Project C.U.R.E. 鈥淚n the United States, laying people on the floor on a tarp seems inhumane, but in many countries, there aren鈥檛 better options. A Stryker bed is a life changing donation.鈥 This is what drives the relationship between Stryker and Project C.U.R.E. 鈥淎nd it鈥檚 not just better for the patient,鈥 adds Dr. Douglas Jackson, CEO of Project C.U.R.E. 鈥淲e change the entire world for a nurse. You don鈥檛 have a 100- pound nurse moving a 250-pound man. It鈥檚 a miserable day for someone working a 10-hour shift. That equipment revolutionizes healthcare, not only for the patient, but the provider, too.鈥 Similarly, the impact of Stryker鈥檚 surgical instruments significantly changes healthcare. 鈥淲here Project C.U.R.E. works, the tools are not there, but on the flipside, the talent is there,鈥 says Janet. 鈥淭here are surgeons and healthcare professionals who just need these tools to take care of their communities.鈥
Together, Stryker collaborated with Project C.U.R.E. on record numbers of product shipments across a wide range of Stryker specialties. In 2024, Project C.U.R.E. delivered 161 semi-truck sized cargo shipments around the world to 36 different countries.2 鈥淪eventy percent of shipments that go out include supplies from Stryker,鈥 says Janet. Thousands of people were impacted and countless lives saved.
In 2024, Project C.U.R.E. shipments reached some of the most challenging regions of the world. Disaster aid shipments continued into the Middle East, reached victims of the earthquake in Syria, and the people of Ukraine. Stryker worked with Project C.U.R.E. to transport equipment, beds and surgical care into all these regions.
Beds, a precious commodity in low-resourced countries, are particularly crucial to quality patient care. Across the country, Stryker field representatives have been supporting the needs of patients in the global community by ensuring that quality beds are sent to Project C.U.R.E. A Stryker employee recently facilitated the transfer of over 700 bed donations from the St. Louis market. Working together with Project C.U.R.E. staff and hospital and volunteers, these beds were delivered to Project C.U.R.E. distribution centers and in less than one month, all beds were allocated. - Very soon these beds will be reaching Malawi, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Ukraine and Haiti.
Stryker continues to work with Project C.U.R.E. to offer an Orthopedic Power Tool Grant Program to bring medical equipment to surgeons performing orthopaedic surgery. The program impacted 23 countries in 2024.2 From Bahamas to Zimbabwe, even into the tiny country of Mauritius, 33 power sets were distributed for surgeon led mission trips and Project C.U.R.E. cargo container programs. Life-changing surgical procedures were performed on these trips, with educational sessions and training provided to local surgical teams.
Stryker has been working to expand the product lines shared with Project C.U.R.E. Recently donations from Stryker鈥檚 instruments team included head lamps which will light up operating theatres in countries where reliable power is limited. In the future, we will work together to include a broader range of product lines to support Project C.U.R.E.
Employees continue to give their time at Project C.U.R.E. distribution centers which are located in Denver, Phoenix, Nashville, Houston, Chicago, Philadelphia and Kansas City, volunteering to sort incoming donations, provide warehouse support, share valuable technical expertise and prepare equipment for shipment. The passion employees have for volunteering with Project C.U.R.E. continues to grow each year.
鈥淪tryker and Project C.U.R.E. make a great partnership because we share a similar determination,鈥 says Douglas. 鈥淚t comes down to saving lives and changing lives. And that really isn鈥檛 possible without partners like Stryker.鈥
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Learn moreLearn how, for over 30 years, Stryker has partnered with Operation Smile to make healthcare better.
Learn more校蟹薪邪泄褌械, 泻邪泻 泻芯屑锌邪薪懈褟 Stryker 褋褌褉械屑懈褌褋褟 褍谢褍褔褕邪褌褜 褉械蟹褍谢褜褌邪褌褘 谢械褔械薪懈褟 锌邪褑懈械薪褌芯胁, 褉邪褋褕懈褉褟褟 写芯褋褌褍锌 泻 斜械蟹芯锌邪褋薪芯泄 懈 写芯褋褌褍锌薪芯泄 屑械写懈褑懈薪褋泻芯泄 锌芯屑芯褖懈 锌芯 胁褋械屑褍 屑懈褉褍.
Learn more袣芯屑锌邪薪懈褟 Stryker 褋芯褌褉褍写薪懈褔邪械褌 褋 肖芯薪写芯屑 谐械褉芯械胁 写芯泻褌芯褉邪 袥芯褉薪褘 袘褉懈薪 (Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes鈥 Foundation) 褋 褑械谢褜褞 褍泻褉械锌懈褌褜 锌褋懈褏懈褔械褋泻芯械 蟹写芯褉芯胁褜械 懈 斜谢邪谐芯锌芯谢褍褔懈械 屑械写懈褑懈薪褋泻懈褏 褉邪斜芯褌薪懈泻芯胁, 褍谢褍褔褕懈褌褜 写芯褋褌褍锌 泻 褉械褋褍褉褋邪屑 胁 芯斜谢邪褋褌懈 芯褏褉邪薪褘 锌褋懈褏懈褔械褋泻芯谐芯 蟹写芯褉芯胁褜褟 懈 褋芯写械泄褋褌胁芯胁邪褌褜 锌褉械写芯褌胁褉邪褖械薪懈褞 褋邪屑芯褍斜懈泄褋褌胁.
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COMM-GSNPS-SYK-636050_Rev-2