Romero Britto joins the fight for children's surgery in Brazil

This month world-renowned artist Romero Britto welcomed the Kids Operating Room family to the iconic Britto Palace to spotlight a critical issue: the lack of access to safe surgical care for children in Brazil.

Brazil's healthcare system is struggling to meet the enormous surgical needs of the nation's giant child population. We have to change that.

The event brought together Romero Britto & KidsOR co-founder Garreth Wood, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Maija Cheung, and KidsOR USA Chair Lili Buffett to discuss the urgent need to expand children's surgical capacity in the country.

A special message from Brazilian paediatric surgeon Dr. Fabio Botelho underscored the pressing reality faced by medical professionals across the country:

"Every single day, paediatric surgeons across Brazil face a heartbreaking dilemma: How far can we push the limits of safety with the resources we have? Do we proceed with surgery, knowing the conditions are far from ideal? Or do we step back, knowing that without intervention, the child’s condition will only worsen?"

Dr. Botelho highlighted the extreme measures surgeons take, from building their own surgical tools to sterilising their own equipment, all to continue providing care in under-resourced hospitals.

Through Britto’s support and the generosity of donors, KidsOR is now one step closer to delivering essential surgical infrastructure to hospitals in Recife and Belo Horizonte. These new paediatric operating rooms will be equipped with solar-powered technology, specialised surgical tools, and dedicated recovery areas - resources that will directly save lives.

With the collective power of art, advocacy, and action, we can ensure no child in Brazil is denied the surgical care they need simply because of where they were born. Together, we are rebuilding hope - one operating room at a time.

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