Creating a Legacy: Transforming Women’s Healthcare in Grenada
Photo: Entrance to the McKinney Foundation in St. George’s, Grenada, West Indies
The first patient I cared for with Dr. Tim McKinney in Grenada had been living with a 27-week-size fibroid uterus for years. Like so many women on the island, she had simply learned to live with the pain, pressure, and heavy bleeding because advanced surgical care was not readily available. After a challenging minimally invasive hysterectomy, she was smiling, walking the halls, and ready to go home the very next day. At that moment, I was reminded once again why I keep returning to Grenada.
Over the past three years, I have had the privilege of traveling to Grenada to spend several days in the operating room working alongside Dr. Tim McKinney. Every visit reminds me why I chose medicine and why I remain passionate about minimally invasive gynecologic surgery.
What strikes me every time I arrive is the contrast between the world-class St. George’s University School of Medicine and the local healthcare system. While thousands of medical students begin their education in Grenada, they complete their clinical training in the United States because the island’s hospitals cannot provide the breadth of experience or advanced technology of modern teaching hospitals. Those same limitations affect the women of Grenada who need specialized gynecologic care.
Photo: The operating theater at the McKinney Foundation in St. George’s, Grenada, West Indies
That is exactly where Dr. Tim McKinney and the McKinney Foundation have made such an extraordinary difference.
Tim has devoted years of his life, along with tremendous energy and personal resources, to building a sustainable program that provides women with access to minimally invasive gynecologic surgery they might otherwise never receive.
During my visits, I have had the opportunity to assist with challenging cases involving large fibroid uteri, advanced endometriosis, complex myomectomies, pelvic organ prolapse, and urinary incontinence.
One exciting advancement has been the addition of a hysteroscopic tower through a generous donation from Richard Wolf in partnership with the Foundation of the AAGL (FAAGL). This equipment now allows Dr. McKinney to diagnose and treat intrauterine pathology with advanced hysteroscopic techniques and has already improved care for many women. In addition, the generosity of AAGL members has helped to provide funding for much-needed operating room equipment in Grenada.
There is still much to do. One of the McKinney Foundation’s greatest needs is an advanced energy platform to support more complex minimally invasive procedures. Equally important is the need for volunteers.
Photo: Dr. Tim McKinney, McKinney Foundation (left) along with surgical staff
In a recent conversation with Dr. Vincent Lucente, Physician Leader in Urogynecology, he shared his thoughts with me about his visits to Grenada to volunteer with the McKinney Foundation. As we talked, he captured exactly what so many of us have experienced when he stated, “I’ve been fortunate to teach minimally invasive gynecologic surgery around the globe. However, my surgical mission trip to Grenada was, hands down, the most gratifying experience of my entire career. The women are in such great need of our surgeries, and they are beyond grateful for the care we bring them. It’s an easy trip to get there, it’s very safe, and it’s set up for us to make a huge impact. I recommend taking the time to do it. You can thank me after you return—I guarantee you’ll want to go back.”
Dr. Mark Woodland, Associate Dean for Policy and Advocacy at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, also offered his perspective on the future of the McKinney Foundation and the potential impact of continued support from FAAGL. “The McKinney Foundation has created something truly special in Grenada, but if we want this work to endure, we must begin planning for its future. I envision a lasting partnership with St. George’s University, where the clinic serves not only the women of Grenada but also provides a meaningful educational experience for medical students. Through FAAGL, we have an opportunity to build a sustainable program of visiting surgical teams that can provide advanced gynecologic care, mentor future physicians, and create a legacy that will benefit generations of women. This is the kind of collaboration that can transform healthcare and continue long after any one of us is gone.”
Photo: Dr. Tim McKinney, McKinney Foundation (right) along with staff in a patient exam room.
The women of Grenada have given me far more than I could ever give them. Their courage, gratitude, and resilience remind me that the true legacy of minimally invasive gynecologic surgery is not measured by the operations we perform, but by the lives we touch and the opportunities we create for those who follow.
Working together through the AAGL Global Health Program (AGHP), FAAGL, and the McKinney Foundation, we have an extraordinary opportunity to build something that will endure for generations—a legacy of education, innovation, and compassionate surgical care for the women of Grenada.
If you are interested in volunteering, supporting this mission, or learning more about how you can become involved with the McKinney Foundation, please reach out to Jasmine Melendez at Foundation@aagl.org. We would love to welcome you to this remarkable effort. To support the McKinney Foundation and other AAGL Global Health Programs, visit https://aagl.org/donate/ today!
