Edward Ma and Nancy Hairston discuss the partnerships, people, and technology supporting reconstructive surgery in Ukraine.
The episode 33 of Glory to the Heroes explores the partnerships behind reconstructive surgery in Ukraine, featuring Edward Ma of Ed’s Friends Ukraine and Nancy Hairston of MedCAD. I contributed several photographs from the missions to accompany their conversation.
I met Ed in Dallas shortly after my first mission to Ukraine, where I documented a reconstructive surgery team. Since then, we were together on numerous medical missions, and our collaboration has given me a better understanding of how Ed’s Friends Ukraine, LEAP Global Missions, and the Christian Medical Association of Ukraine work together to make reconstructive surgery missions possible. Ukrainian doctors and patients often told us how much it meant that the teams actually came to a country at war—not only to share surgical expertise and donate medical supplies, but also to stand beside them. Their presence itself became a source of moral support.
The following year, during the May 2024 mission, I learned about Nancy Hairston and MedCAD, which donated four patient-specific implant sets for Dr. Jorge Corona’s team—the company’s first donation to Ukraine. I had the privilege of documenting that mission and speaking with two veterans who received those implants. Both volunteered to serve in the Ukrainian Armed Forces during the first days of Russia’s full-scale invasion and sustained severe facial injuries in combat. At the end of 2025, Nancy traveled with our medical team to Kyiv to support the surgeons and witness the impact of MedCAD’s contribution firsthand.
Bringing the Story Together
I had known Travis Hightower long before we met in person. We worked together remotely on several projects about the human safari in Kherson, and I deeply appreciate his commitment to telling the world about my hometown and about the volunteers helping Ukraine stand against a much larger aggressor. I was especially glad to see Travis bring Ed and Nancy together for this conversation.
Listening to the episode brought many of those moments back. Ed and Nancy describe the partnerships, technology, and countless hours of work behind the scenes that make reconstructive surgery possible for patients in Ukraine. As a documentary photographer, I usually witness only one part of that story. This conversation reminded me how many people, organizations, and years of commitment stand behind every successful operation—and every photograph I make.
