HSCC Events
Fr. (Dr.) Jean Ikanga recently returned to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to begin his practice, as well as resume his duties as a priest. He is the only board-certified Neuropsychologist in the country. You may have seen a recent report on local television about his program at Emory University (click for link). Among his duties, he will be teaching medical students at the University of Kinshasa Hospital. One of the first steps is to develop a culturally appropriate neuropsychological test battery that can be used to diagnose patients in Central Africa. Fr. Ikanga is partnering with Emory University for that. The study is called Congo Brain Health Initiative. This research recently won the prestigious Emory Synergy Award with the bulk of the funds going to fund Fr. Jean’s work in the DRC. This award will help toward funding the necessary research.
Fr. Ikanga’s personal transition has been more chaotic. He reports that the things we take for granted - reliable electricity, running water, transportation and internet - are rare. His phone was stolen last week. The hospital where he is has not been maintained physically since it was built over 60 years ago, and their newest surgical equipment was donated in 1984. His students can only read about common hospital equipment used in colonoscopy, CT scan, ultrasound, or blood analysis.
If you would like to help financially, you can do so through the Emory website. Click on the “Give Now” icon and designate your donation to Emory Congo Brain Health Initiative. And, in the meantime, please continue to keep Fr. Ikanga and his mission in your prayers.
