From Part-Time Volunteer to Full-Time Surgeon: Dr. Mike Russell’s Journey to CURE

To understand Dr. Mike Russell’s journey from Pennsylvania to full-time Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon at Beit-CURE Children’s Hospital of Malawi (CURE Malawi), you have to go back to 2010, when he was studying chemical engineering at Kettering University and working for General Motors.

That year, he visited Haiti just five months after a devastating earthquake claimed more than 220,000 lives. “Even here in the Western Hemisphere, only two hours from the US, there was nobody there to help them,” Dr. Mike recalls. “That was pretty eye-opening for me.”

It was a defining moment. The suffering he witnessed—and the lack of medical care—moved him to pursue medicine. He returned home, added pre-med coursework to his engineering degree, and never looked back.

A Heart for Global Health and a Connection to CURE

Global medical missions run deep in Dr. Mike’s DNA. His parents, both family medicine physicians, took the family on trips to Honduras and Kenya throughout his childhood. It was his parents who first took him to visit CURE’s hospital in Kijabe, Kenya. 

Dr. Mike decided to defer his entrance to medical school for a year and taught English in the Middle East. Later, during another year off between medical school terms, he earned a master of business administration and a master of public health, and spent several months volunteering internationally with NGOs, including CURE International. 

That’s when he fell in love with CURE’s mission.

“What really attracted me to CURE was the opportunity to help prevent long-term disability through low-cost, mostly public health-based interventions,” he says. “And I loved seeing the impact CURE could have—completely changing the trajectory of kids’ lives—along with the ability to couple sharing the gospel message with excellent surgical care.”

From Medical Missionary to Team Member

Over the years, Dr. Mike has volunteered with CURE hospitals in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Malawi. Now, after completing an orthopedic surgery residency from the University of Iowa, an orthopedic oncology fellowship from UCLA, and an additional pediatric orthopedic oncology fellowship at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Ohio, he’s returning to CURE Malawi—not as a volunteer, but as a full-time Orthopedic Surgeon.

In August 2025, Dr. Mike, along with his wife and their two young daughters, relocated from Columbus, Ohio, to Blantyre, Malawi.

“Being able to meet and care for children who would otherwise slip through the cracks and live their lives with significant physical disabilities that are treatable is something that I am passionate about,” he says.

Eventually, he hopes to build a pediatric limb-salvage practice, helping children with bone tumors avoid unnecessary amputation.

Dr. Samuel Maina, Medical Director at CURE Malawi, sees Dr. Mike’s arrival as a key step in strengthening the hospital’s ability to care for complex orthopedic cases: “We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Russell to the surgical team at CURE Malawi. His training in pediatric orthopedic care and oncology will further strengthen the hospital’s capacity to treat children and serve families. His commitment to train local physicians in pediatric care will also bless many lives across the country.”

The Power of Community in Medical Missions

Dr. Mike’s path into long-term medical missions wasn’t walked alone. And his advice to others interested in medical missions is to stay connected to a local church, prioritize relationships with other believers, and try to get as much experience serving in the mission field as possible. Additionally, resources like the Global Missions Health Conference (GMHC) played a key role in confirming his calling and connecting him with others pursuing the same vision.

“As you come back to the missions conference each year, you see the same people again and again,” he shares. “It’s really a neat time to compare stories and see what’s working for them and what’s not—especially as we get ready to embark on a long-term career dedicated to medical missions.”

Held annually, the GMHC continues to serve as a launching point to connect healthcare professionals like Dr. Mike with ministries and organizations in need of short- and long-term volunteers. 

Giving His Best to Serve Children in Need

For Dr. Mike, joining CURE Malawi is an expression of gratitude—of using his gifts to serve those who need it most.

“If it weren’t for CURE, many children with disabilities wouldn’t have a chance to live a normal life,” he says. “What really excites me about pediatric orthopedics is that many of these conditions are very treatable, which can allow kids to grow up strong, confident, and able to fully participate in the life of their community.”

Learn more about The Global Missions Health Conference.

Explore the hospitals in CURE’s network. 

Make a gift that allows surgeons like Dr. Mike to serve as the hands and feet of Christ with CURE.