The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) presented A. Leland Albright, MD, with the 2012 Humanitarian Award on April 18, 2012, during its 80th Annual Scientific Meeting in Miami. Dr. Albright is being recognized for his international missions, having taught and performed neurosurgical procedures in such locales as Korea, Nigeria and Kenya.

In 1991, Dr. Albright travelled to Kijabe, Kenya, to treat children with hydrocephalus and spina bifida. This trek began a yearly visit to the east African nation, where Dr. Albright also taught surgical management. There were no pediatric neurosurgeons in Kenya, Tanzania or Ethiopia, and it became apparent that short-term medical visits were not the answer. In September 2010, Dr. Albright and his wife, Susan, a pediatric neurosurgery practitioner, moved to Kijabe, Kenya where he established a pediatric neurosurgical fellowship at Kijabe Hospital.

Kijabe Hospital’s pediatric neurosurgical fellowship is accredited by the University of Nairobi. Its two neurosurgical training programs expose residents to surgical and post-operative management techniques that cannot be found anywhere else in the region. In 2011, 1,328 neurosurgical operations were completed, including 69 brain and spinal cord tumor surgeries. Dr. Albright plans to remain in Kijabe until 2016, at which time his trainees will continue the work.

A 1969 graduate of Louisiana State University School of Medicine, Dr. Albright completed his neurosurgical residency at the University of Pittsburgh, later serving on its faculty from 1981 to 2006. He also was the Chief of Pediatric Neurosurgery at the University of Pittsburgh from 1991 to 2004.

Dr. Albright’s participation in world missions began in 1980 during a six-month stint launching the neurosurgery program at the Baptist Hospital of Pusan, Korea. During his professional tenure at the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Albright made several short-term mission trips to Maricaibo, Venezuela and Ogbomosho, Nigeria.

Dr. Albright will be honored with the AANS Humanitarian Award during AANS’ Annual Scientific Meeting festivities. The AANS created this distinction in January 1987 at the recommendation of its Board of Directors and then-president Robert Ojemann, MD. The award recognizes members who have given their time and talents to a charitable or public activity and whose actions have brought honor to the specialty.

Founded in 1931 as the Harvey Cushing Society, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is a scientific and educational association with more than 8,100 members worldwide. The AANS is dedicated to advancing the specialty of neurological surgery in order to provide the highest quality of neurosurgical care to the public. All active members of the AANS are certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons (Neurosurgery) of Canada or the Mexican Council of Neurological Surgery, AC. Neurological surgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of disorders that affect the entire nervous system including the spinal column, spinal cord, brain and peripheral nerves. For more information, visit www.AANS.org.