ReSurge International, a leading global surgery nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding access to life-changing reconstructive care in low-income countries, announced that it has acquired and integrated several core programs from Physicians for Peace (PFP), a fellow nonprofit known for its focus on surgical education.
The following programs will now operate within ReSurge’s global model:
- Malawi Scholars Program
- Tanzania Burn Rehabilitation Mentorship Program
- Burn Care Training Curriculum — now renamed the Physicians for Peace Burn Care Curriculum
“We are honored to have been chosen as the future stewards of the Physicians for Peace legacy,” said Claire Lachance, President and CEO of ReSurge International.“ This acquisition directly supports and accelerates ReSurge’s strategic vision, helping to scale our impact in regions of the world where access to life-changing reconstructive surgery is nonexistent or–at best–severely limited.”
ReSurge will integrate PFP’s curricula into ReSurge’s program hubs in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, strengthening local ecosystems and further leveraging the powerful multiplier effect of ReSurge’s train-the-trainer model.
The two organizations’ shared commitment to improving lives through the training of surgical teams in low-income countries can be traced back decades to the founders of both organizations. ReSurge’s Dr. Donald Laub and PFP’s Dr. Charles Horton were not only professional colleagues but also friends who advanced a common vision. Dr. Laub, who served as an Emeritus Director of Physicians for Peace, once wrote: “…it is in the motivation of almost every physician to teach at every possible corner, but the order of the sequence in teaching starts with person-to-person, from a mentor to mentee, the apprenticeship model used by our early predecessors.”
At the heart of both ReSurge International and Physicians for Peace is a belief that medical training is not an end in itself—but a means to transform patient outcomes. That shared value of teach one, heal many brought the two organizations together in 2024 for a panel at the United Nations 68th Commission on the Status of Women, where they explored how surgical training can expand access to care for survivors of gender-based violence and trauma.
Among the speakers was International Women of Courage Award recipient and acid attack survivor, Natalia Ponce de León, who serves as an ambassador for both organizations.
“I’ve seen firsthand how ReSurge and Physicians for Peace put patients at the center of everything they do,” said Ponce de León. “Knowing that these two organizations are joining forces gives me hope—not just for survivors like me, but for thousands more who need access to life-changing care.”
Though Physicians for Peace will no longer operate as an independent 501(c)(3), its mission and legacy will live on.
“Entrusting these programs to ReSurge International was a thoughtful, deliberate decision which we made to ensure the vision we’ve shared will thrive in new and meaningful ways,” said Dr. John Schulz, Physicians for Peace Board Chairperson.
In a time of global uncertainty and shifting funding landscapes, strategic nonprofit integrations like this one are proving essential to amplifying impact. Rather than duplicating efforts, mission-aligned organizations like ReSurge and Physicians for Peace are finding strength together. This transition ensures that PFP’s legacy programs not only continue within ReSurge’s proven model—but reach farther, faster, and with greater sustainability.
If you’re a Physicians for Peace supporter, we invite you to learn more about this transition and find answers to frequently asked questions here.
