Scalpel At The Cross

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Scalpel At The Cross

Scalpel At The Cross is a ministry of medical and surgical care to the Peruvian people and to the missionaries who serve them. www.scalpelatthecross.org

The goal of Scalpel At The Cross is to support and amplify on-going Christian ministries within the country of Peru. The addition of this orthopaedic medical ministry offers much needed aid to an area with a long history of poverty and injustice. The specific location of the Scalpel At The Cross medical ministry is the city of Pucallpa, which lies in the Department of Ucayali near the western border of Brazil. This burgeoning town is now home to nearly 300,000 Peruvians. In contrast to Lima, which does have modern, colonial areas, this jungle town is a continuous maze of cramped, subsistence housing and dusty, open-air markets. Very little substantial industry exists in Pucallpa today. Most people are laboring to earn a living by subsistence farming, artisan craftwork or as small shop owners or mototaxi drivers. For these reasons, many medical needs are currently not being met. By offering much needed orthopaedic consultation and surgical care, Scalpel At The Cross hopes to improve the lives of these individuals and touch their hearts for Christ.

03/11/2026

A Historic Testimony: Meet Edison

For 30 years Edison lived with debilitating hip pain, eventually becoming wheelchair-bound. He was beyond discouraged, unable to provide for his family, and turning to alcohol as a means to cope. The future looked bleak. But God...

Through a double hip replacement during a Scalpel campaign, the Lord performed a miraculous work in Edison's heart. He believes the Lord brought the right surgeon at the right time through Scalpel At The Cross - Dr. Jason Caron.

Today, Edison walks free of pain and runs a restaurant in Pucallpa. When we return for surgical campaigns, he often comes to visit—singing, dancing, cooking, and using every gift he has from a place of sheer joy.

This is more than surgery.
This is restoration—body and soul.

03/07/2026

Life in the Peruvian Amazon is breathtaking, but also deeply unpredictable. In just one year, our community in Pucallpa has faced a series of extremes.

First came the fires. During the severe dry season in September 2024, flames crept dangerously close to our clinic, storage space, and fellowship hall. Thanks to the swift response of local partners, your prayers, and a firebreak created just in time, the fire was stopped before reaching the buildings.

Just months later, historic rains in April 2025 caused Laguna Cashibococha to overflow, transforming entire neighborhoods into waterways. Canoes replaced cars, and daily commutes (including travel to and from our Jungle Bunks) had to be navigated by boat. Many families across the region lost their homes and were left trapped in contaminated floodwaters.

When the dry season returned, so did the fires. In September 2025, a nearby blaze burned two hectares of land and forced families to evacuate as thick smoke filled the air.

Through fire, flood, and uncertainty, one thing has remained constant: the resilience of the people, the faith of this community, and the strength that God continues to provide.

If you’d like to stay connected and read the full recap in Scalpel’s Edge, visit:
https://scalpelatthecross.org/news/

03/06/2026

What took place at the Healing Hearts & Bones Gala was an impact that will echo far beyond a single evening.

To everyone who attended, hosted a table, sponsored, prayed, and gave—thank you. You stepped into a story of healing that continues to unfold. We are filled with gratitude that you are standing with us in mission.

If you weren’t able to join last month, you are still part of this mission and have the opportunity to give via the link below or story. The work continues. This was never about just one event...it’s about the ripple effect!

Watch the highlight video and relive a truly special celebration 🇵🇪

https://scalpelatthecross-bloom.kindful.com/?campaign=1397281&blm_aid=0

03/03/2026

Behind every number is a name.
Behind every statistic is a story.

39 surgeries are not data points meant to showcase impressive volume. They are mothers standing tall again. Fathers returning to work with renewed strength. Children running toward dreams once thought out of reach.

116 patients evaluated is not a mere statistic. It means 116 souls seen, heard, and reminded that they matter.

$698,200 in estimated care is more than a figure on a page. It is access where there was none. Hope where there had been waiting. Healing extended to those who otherwise may never have received it.

21 team members offered more than expertise. They gave their hands. Their time. Their hearts. Skill and compassion poured out in equal measure.

When faith meets action, numbers are no longer about volume or metrics.

They are about restored lives.

02/27/2026

Patient Story | Arantza

At just 22 years old, Arantza carries a simple dream: to play basketball again. 🏀

Years of prior surgeries had left her right arm nearly immobile. A severe elbow contracture and an ulnar nerve bound in dense scar tissue slowly shrank her world — limiting not only movement, but independence.

During surgery in July, our team carefully removed retained cement from her distal humerus and reconstructed her elbow using an iliac crest bone graft.

By every measure, it has been an excellent outcome to date. The progress has been remarkable:
•Her wound is fully healed.
•The infection has resolved.
•Her range of motion continues to improve.
•She is progressing beautifully in ongoing therapy.

Recovery still requires persistence and patience, but Arantza is not walking this road alone. With her mom as her biggest supporter always by her side, our Rehab and Spiritual Impact teams continue to walk closely beside them — guiding strength-building exercises, restoring functional movement, and witnessing something even deeper unfold.

As movement returned to her arm, freedom seemed to awaken in her spirit.

The tunnel is not fully behind her yet, but there is undeniable light ahead.

“Behold, I am making all things new.” — Revelation 21:5

02/25/2026

What does resilience truly look like?

For Isa, Pucallpa transformed her perspective.

Isabella, a Scalpel At The Cross volunteer anesthesiologist, witnessed patients undergo major surgeries with unwavering strength. She encountered a community rich in faith, hope, and love despite limited resources. Isa also discovered that medical missions are not defined by surgical skill alone, but by compassion, dignity, and the willingness to meet people exactly where they are.

“Serving with Scalpel At The Cross reshaped my understanding of medical missions. It is not only about surgical skill or clinical precision. It is about showing up with humility. It is about meeting people exactly where they are. It is about restoring dignity alongside mobility.”

If you’ve ever wondered what it truly means to serve in Pucallpa, Isa’s story offers an honest and moving glimpse.

Read her Bella-utiful reflection on our website.

🔗: https://scalpelatthecross.org/blog/

02/22/2026

Five miles outside of Pucallpa, along the shores of Lake Cashibococha, sits Jungle Bunks — our home base during every medical campaign and beyond.

This lodge accommodates approximately 16 volunteers and is connected by a 300-meter boardwalk that winds through the jungle canopy, linking to additional storage and lodging spaces where preparation, prayer, and community unfold each day.

From jungle pathways to sustainable restoration, this is where healing is taking root for generations to come. 💛 🦥

02/20/2026

What does it feel like to arrive in Pucallpa for a Scalpel At The Cross surgical campaign?

PART 1 of 3: In this video, one of our core volunteer scrub techs, Anne Carpenter, takes you into the journey of stepping off the plane into the heart of the Amazon to preparing for clinic and triage day, where countless patients wait with tremendous hope.

Volunteers work to triage patients, evaluate injuries, and prayerfully discern which cases are most urgent and appropriate for surgery. Patients often come to Scalpel with traumatic injuries, congenital deformities, or complications from prior procedures. These are often complex cases that our team members and Peruvian partners are uniquely equipped to tackle together.

This is not medical tourism. It is a long-term commitment rooted in partnership, elevating a community through skilled patient care, deep compassion, robust education, and faith in action.

02/18/2026

This is what orthopaedic trauma looks like when access to timely, high-quality care is absent. Not just pain—but generational loss.

Through decades of sustained work in the Peruvian Amazon, Scalpel At The Cross has shown that this trajectory can be changed. By pairing surgical excellence with outcomes tracking and long-term local partnership, their model has demonstrated measurable impact—recognized through peer-reviewed publications in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery.

The data is clear.
The solution is proven.
The question now is scale.

Explore the full listing of publications and peer-reviewed literature through the link in our bio or story—and see how impact is translated into accountability at https://scalpelatthecross.org/articles/

02/13/2026

What a night!

To our Miami friends, our loyal Scalpel family, those who traveled, our table sponsors, and those who couldn’t attend but supported from afar through the online auction, prayer, and countless other ways—we are so incredibly grateful.

Our 4th Annual Gala was a beautiful success because of the collective effort of every single person who made it possible. The evening left us with a palpable sense that we are stepping into an exciting new era of Scalpel. It was an honor to share the need that the Miracle Campus will help fulfill—building continuous, comprehensive care in the Peruvian Amazon. We were equally encouraged to highlight the faithful dedication of our U.S. and Peruvian team members, who are perhaps impacted just as deeply as they impact others. Those in attendance also had the opportunity to hear and see the powerful testimonies of our patients in their own words—an experience more moving than we can fully express.

Listening to the encouraging message from Mark Richt was truly the icing on the cake. His personal reflections on his medical journey and the way it strengthened his faith stirred our hearts and reminded us that generosity rooted in purpose creates a lasting legacy.

Most of all, it was special to be united in one room—hearts aligned in celebration of a mission that began small and is now growing in ways only the Lord could orchestrate.

We could not do this work without you, and we are deeply thankful for your partnership with Scalpel—financially, practically, spiritually, and in every other way.

Until next time 🤍

Address

Miami, FL
33255

Telephone

+13059224486

Website

http://www.scalpelatthecross.org/

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