Our Mission
Ghana Brain & Spine Foundation, Inc. is committed to advancing brain and spine health in Ghana, with a special emphasis on nurturing future medical professionals through scholarship and educational programs. Our mission encompasses providing resources, support, assistance, and mentorship to communities in need, focusing on the development of world-class neuro and spine healthcare. We actively support the intellectual growth and brain development of students aspiring to careers in medical and scientific fields, not limited to those already in these fields. Based in Kentucky, our activities in Ghana are carried out by dedicated community volunteers, including professionals and community leaders. Primarily funded by public contributions, our foundation is dedicated to improving access to neuro healthcare for the underprivileged, supporting medical missions, and contributing to meaningful neurological research and health system enhancements.
1-Year Goals
Our Vision
Empowering Ghana's youth with education and resources to lead the future of advanced neurological and spinal healthcare
5-Year Goals
Children
Scholarships
assistance
research
-: Board Members :-
Maxwell Boakye is Professor and Chief of Spinal Neurosurgery and Director of Quality Improvement and Co-Director of Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Center at the Department of Neurosurgery, University of Louisville. He is also Co-Director of the University of Louisville MD/PhD Program. A clinician-scientist, he Dr. Boakye has published over 200 peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts, book chapters, and abstracts and co-edited one spinal cord injury textbook. He is Principal Investigator of the University of Louisville Ghana Neurosurgery Research Project at Korle Bu Hospital in Ghana and has been leading global neurosurgery to develop Neurosurgery in Ghana.
Petrina A. Boakye, Esq. LL.M, MBA, is an attorney in legal practice in Louisville, KY-A member of the New York Bar Association, her areas of expertise include Tax Defense and Compliance. She has provided a number of pro bono legal services in Louisville and California and represents clients nationally with IRS tax representation, disputes and resolutions. She holds a LLB from University of Luton, United Kingdom, LLM degrees from Golden Gate University, California, LLM in Taxation from University of Denver and MBA from the University of Louisville.
Dr. William Ebo Rockson is a General and Cosmetic Dentist who practices in South Orange, New Jersey. He graduated from Rutgers University, Newark, NJ with a Bachelors’ Degree in Chemistry and Afro-American Studies. He obtained his Dental Degree (DMD) from the University of Medicine and Dentistry, also in Newark, New Jersey in 1995. He was a South Orange Rotarian for many years. As a Rotarian, he was the only Dentist who performed free Dental Screening to “Head Start” programs in conjunction with Seton Hall University’s Division of Volunteer Affairs. In October 2015 Dr. Rockson joined a church group from South Carolina (Caring Meds) on a mission trip to Ghana, West Africa where they provided free Medical and Dental care to citizens of a village in the Central Region, where Over 500 people received care. Since this trip, Dr. Rockson has been visiting Ghana at least twice a year, with each trip performing screenings to those who have no access to dental care in the Eastern part of Ghana.
He is Director at Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc., where he leads the healthcare innovation team that delivers cutting-edge solutions for the healthcare industry. His expertise and core competencies include business analysis, process improvement, concept design and development, and knowledge sharing. He has successfully managed complex projects and diverse teams, resulting in products that improve patient outcomes, enhance provider efficiency, and reduce operational costs. He holds an MBA/MHA degree from Howard University School of Business.
Harel Deutsch, MD, is Associate Professor of neurosurgery and co-director of the RUSH University Spine Center, Chicago, IL. Dr. Deutsch specializes in the care of patients with degenerative and traumatic disease of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine with a strong emphasis on minimally invasive surgery. Deutsch completed medical school at University of Miami School of Medicine, graduating with honors in 1996. He completed his internship in surgery and residency in neurosurgery at the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. Following his residency, Deutsch completed a spine surgery fellowship at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta. He joined RUSH University Medical Center in Chicago in 2003.
Dr. Joel Blankson is an Professor of medicine and professor of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. His areas of clinical expertise include HIV pathogenesis and infectious disease. Dr. Blankson earned his M.D. from Cornell University Medical College and his Ph.D. from Rockefeller University in 1995. He completed his residency in Internal medicine and a fellowship in infectious disease at Johns Hopkins. His research interests include the natural control of HIV-1 infection.