Helping Hands Foundation was founded in 2005 by Tom Harries and Jeff Gelfand to help Stefan Chidesa, a newborn from Romania with a complex congenital hand deformity. Stefan was brought to Annapolis, where he and his mother were hosted by Dick and Mary Skinner for six weeks during which time he underwent surgical correction of his hand deformity. Since inception, seven people have been brought to Annapolis for reconstructive surgical procedures. Helping Hands has sponsored surgical training trips to Europe, Asia, and soon to South America to help teach local surgeons in these communities the modern techniques necessary to care for their patients. Surgical procedures for all visiting patients have been performed at the Anne Arundel Medical Center through the generous support of Anne Arundel Medical Center and the AAMC Foundation.
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Dr. Harries, a native of Stratford, Connecticut, joined The Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Center, LLC in 1986 after retiring from the Navy, where he last served as Chief of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine at the United States Naval Academy.
Dr. Harries is Board certified and a Fellow in the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery, as well as in the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine. He continues to be active in sports medicine, serving as a physician for local high schools. In 1984 he served as Chief Medical Officer at the Olympic Soccer games held in Annapolis. Dr. Harries has served with World Medical Missions in Kijabe, Kenya in 2001 and 2004 and has made two medical mission trips to Romania.
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Dr. Gelfand is the Chairman and Co-Founder of The Helping Hands Foundation. He is an orthopaedic surgeon with fellowship training in hand and upper extremity surgery. He has traveled extensvely to the developing world as both a visiting educator and surgeon. Dr. Gelfand is also the Founder and President of Suspension Orthopaedic Solutions, LLC, a medical device company based in Annapolis, MD and serves on the board of directors for Physician Enterprises,LLC.
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