Changing lives, one limb at a time.
The Mercer On Mission Vietnam program is a service-learning initiative that brings together students, faculty, and healthcare professionals to improve mobility and quality of life for amputees in underserved communities.
Founded in 2009 by Dr. Hà Võ, the program centers around the Mercer Universal Prosthesis - a low-cost, lightweight, and durable device designed to make prosthetic care accessible to patients who would otherwise go without. Each year, Mercer teams travel to Vietnam to operate clinics, fit prosthetic limbs, and provide orthopaedic and rehabilitative care while training students in biomechanics, prosthetic fitting, and patient-centered global health service.
Since its inception, the program has helped restore mobility and independence to thousands of amputees while fostering meaningful cultural exchange and hands-on learning for Mercer students.
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Our Story
2009
MERCER ON MISSION ORTHOPAEDIC & PROSTHETIC PROGRAM BEGINS AS MERCER ON MISSION VIETNAM, TRAVELING TO CHÂU ĐỐC AND PHỤNG HIỆP WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE CLINTON GLOBAL INITIATIVE
2010
MOM TEAM TRAVELS TO HAITI TO PROVIDE PROSTHETIC RELIEF FOLLOWING EARTHQUAKE
2012
MERCER ON MISSION VIETNAM RECEIVES A $50,000 GRANT FROM THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF CENTRAL GEORGIA
2013
THE SHERIDAN FOUNDATION GIVES $1.25 MILLION OVER 5 YEARS FOR PROSTHETIC COMPONENTS AND CLINIC DEVELOPMENT, LEADING TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE FIRST LOCAL CLINICS IN PHỤNG HIỆP AND CẦN THƠ
2015
MERCER ON MISSION PROGRAM RECEIVES ITS OFFICIAL OPERATION LICENSE AS A NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION IN VIETNAM
2016
MOM VN FITS ITS 5000TH AMPUTEE AND OPENS THE CENTER FOR DISABILITY SUPPORT IN BẾN TRE
2017
FIRST HAND PROSTHESES ARE SUCCESSFULLY FITTED
2018
MOM VN FITS ITS 10,000TH AMPUTEE AND RECEIVES A CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT FROM THE PRIME MINISTER OF VIETNAM
2019
MERCER ON MISSION VIETNAM EXPANDS TO CAMBODIA, BECOMING THE MERCER ON MISSION ORTHOPAEDIC & PROSTHETIC PROGRAM
2021
THE MERCER ON MISSION ORTHOPAEDIC & PROSTHETIC PROGRAM RECEIVES A $10 MILLION ENDOWMENT FROM THE PHIL J. AND ALICE S. SHERIDAN FOUNDATION IN ORDER TO CONTINUE DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS TO GLOBAL PROBLEMS AND PROVIDING HEALTHCARE TO THE VULNERABLE AND UNDERSERVED
2026
MERCER ON MISSION TEAM FITTED BUDDHIST MONK BHANTE DAM PHOMMASAN WITH A PROSTHETIC LEG AFTER HE LOST IT IN A 2025 ACCIDENT DURING A 2,300-MILE “WALK FOR PEACE.”