Message from our courageous Friends of the DNF in Goma. "We just finished the first training session, we covered open lower limb trauma module and the placement of the external fixator, the speaker was Dr Simplice (trauma surgeon) we did it on our plaster bones that we made 😀"

News of the recent missile strikes in Sumy, Ukraine reminds us of the urgent need for surgical training. Our team has just returned from Lviv, where we trained 33 Ukrainian anaesthetists and 39 Ukrainian surgeons, most of whom are deployed regularly to the frontline.

"With our surgical training courses, it's like a stone being thrown into a pond. It creates ripples. And the ripples will keep going by themselves without us being there." Ian Nesbitt, faculty lead for anaesthesia. #ukraine #surgicaltraining #savinglives #warsurgery

Heston® barely has time to catch his breath between training courses. As one mission’s kit returns, our team is already preparing equipment for the next. If Heston® had a passport... #ukraine #surgicaltraining #savinglives #warsurgery

Women and children are often the first casualties of war. That’s why our specialised surgical kit travels with our team – supporting tailor-made training for surgeons working in austere environments. #ukraine #surgicaltraining #savinglives #warsurgery

lght.ly/8b9m9b3 Our amazing CEO, James Gough. 'Having served in the military as a doctor – and been seriously injured while serving – James Gough knows more than most about the effects of trauma and his experience showed him that we are not very well prepared for it.'

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, we’ve trained 748 doctors from 19 regions of Ukraine. Together, we have made a commitment to Ukraine’s doctors; our mission is to empower every surgeon facing multiple war wounds on the ground.

We’re often moved by messages from readers of David’s book War Doctor. But sometimes, a story comes along that reminds us why we do what we do. Anastasiia, our inspiring Ukrainian supporter, shares how the book changed her perspective of war and life. lght.ly/0e0coo4

"It’s a war, when one human being tried to kill or hurt another human being. It’s most striking for a person to understand how horrible can war can be and what scars and what consequences will be left after that." Yaroslaw Kulachek, DNF local faculty surgeon, Ukraine

Our Medical Director and Global Faculty Lead, Ammar Darwish recently worked alongside surgeons in Syria. These independent missions are one of the many ways we contribute to safe, skilled, surgical care for all. #syria #surgicaltraining #savinglives #warsurgery

“The 2025 Betty Boothroyd Scholarship has been awarded to Dr Munzer Al Khalil, among the most renowned and respected health system leaders from Syria. Dr Al Khalil founded the Idlib Health Directorate and Alamal Hospital for Orthopaedic Surgery in 2013.

Later this month, we’ll host the 2025 Friends of the David Nott Foundation (FDNF) Annual Conference at the University of Dundee – a chance to celebrate the powerful role FDNF student societies play within the Foundation and across the wider humanitarian community. More soon...

lght.ly/f218o20 Dr Moez Zeiton, DNF Faculty and orthopaedic and trauma surgeon, talks on a podcast with the British Hip Society, and references his work with our Foundation. We are lucky to have you, Moez! #traumasurgeon #surgicaltraining #warsurgery

"Cancer doesn't wait for peace to come, so over the years I helped women in Syria with gynaecological surgery and treatment." Saladin Sawan, Faculty Lead for Syria. #syria #conflictsurgery #womeninwar

‘A good surgeon deserves a good anaesthetist and a bad one needs one,’ says Dr Nesbitt. Getting the best outcomes for patients depends on more than someone’s skill with a scalpel. That’s why David Nott Foundation is focused on training anaesthetists as well as surgeons. [2/3]

As political discussion intensifies around the Ukraine war, Dr Nesbitt - a former reserves forces doctor who has worked in conflict zones including Afghanistan, Kosovo and Iraq - shares his impressions of the country’s beleaguered medical workforce, and says they are willing to

"I try to make neurosurgery accessible. It's all about access, it's all about carpentry, and it's all about not touching the brain. People should walk away from the course thinking: Oh, I could do that." Pete Mathew, Neurosurgeon and DNF Faculty

As ever, our Foundation is hugely proud to have highly skilled and dedicated anaesthetists, like Ian Nesbitt in our Faculty. lght.ly/nkdl17i #Ukraine #Conflictsurgery #savinglives

This year we were pleased to support the play MARIUPOL at Edinburgh Fringe Festival this summer. Written by Katia Haddad, MARIUPOL is based on her treasured memories of the city and accounts of the survivors of the siege. 30/07 – 25/08 Tickets: lght.ly/ilbm28c

We’re proud to be hosting the 2025 Friends of the David Nott Foundation (FDNF) Annual Conference at the University of Dundee – a chance to celebrate our worldwide network of future humanitarian leaders who are committed to making a difference in the face of conflict.