from small beginnings
In 2012, surgeon Dennis Borces traveled to the island of Siquijor, where his family comes from, for his first volunteer mission. That single trip grew into a registered association in 2015, now working across three continents.
“Using medical expertise to help where care is missing.” — Dennis Borces
How it began
In October 2012, a small team of doctors, nurses, and paramedics operated on Siquijor for the first time — more than 140 free surgeries, supported in part by Missionsförderverein Kutzhof. A year later, Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines; part of the team changed course to provide emergency relief in Tanauan. In 2015, the mission became a registered association.
What guides us
“Great things grow from small beginnings” is more than a motto. Every mission starts small and lasts beyond the deployment because we train as well as treat. Our work is independent, neutral, and entirely volunteer-run; every mission is funded individually through donations.
Patronage
Dr. Magnus Jung
Minister for Labour, Social Affairs, Women and Health of Saarland
Dr. Magnus Jung is the patron of Surgical Mission Saarland and supports the association's work.
Our history
From the founding in Saarland to the next mission: every station, every year, real pictures.
2012
First mission at the Provincial Hospital on Siquijor, Philippines.
2013
Emergency relief after Typhoon Haiyan in Tanauan.
2014
Third Siquijor mission, carried by donations from the region.
2015
Medical care for refugees in Lebach.
2015
Surgical Mission Saarland e.V. is founded, registered in January 2016.
2016
Mindoro: 155 patients in 12 days of surgery.
2017
Maternal care begins at St. Gabriel's Hospital, Malawi.
2022
Relief for Ukraine, in Saarland and on the ground.
2026
The association grows. The next team is planning for 2027.
What others write about us
SR 3 Saarlandwelle, 2026
Surgical Mission Saarland: Ten years of work in the Philippines
Read article→WochenSpiegel, 2026
From Saarland to the Philippines
Read article→Hit Radio FFH, 2026
Medical team from Fulda heads to the Philippines
Read article→Listen · Hit Radio FFH, 27 May 2026
Dr. Andreas Grimme on the next mission to the Philippines (in German)
Last updated: September 2026
The next step
The next mission starts with you.
A donation, a membership, or your time: every contribution becomes surgery, safe anesthesia, and training on the ground.
