FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE – JUNE 16: In partnership with the Sierra Leonean Ministry of Health, international charity Mercy Ships is preparing for the next phase of its ongoing mission to deliver free, life-changing surgeries and training for healthcare professionals. This new phase is scheduled to begin in August.

Few individuals embody the spirit of selfless service like Dr. Leo Cheng, a world-renowned surgeon specializing in oral, maxillofacial/head & neck surgery. A man of immense skill and deep compassion, Dr. Cheng has dedicated his life not only to his medical practice in the United Kingdom, but also to providing free, life-changing surgeries for the world's most vulnerable populations through his work with Mercy Ships.

This year’s World Health Day theme, Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures, highlights the urgent need to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths. Around 300,000 women die due to pregnancy and childbirth complications each year, while millions of babies are stillborn and two million die within their first month of life. The crisis is most severe in low-income countries, where access to safe surgery is often out of reach due to financial and systemic barriers.