Dr. Aliya Khan 

Dr. Aliya Khan is a professor at McMaster University. She has been recognised as being in the top 0.1% of the world experts in her field of hyperparathyroidism, and has published over 200 scientific papers and numerous chapters and books on osteoporosis and parathyroid disease. Dr. Khan has been the recipient of numerous national and international awards, including the 2012 Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for excellence in clinical care, research and teaching, the 2014 International Hypoparathyroidism Award, the 2017 International Osteoporosis Foundation award for publishing excellence, the 2023 Trailblazer in Science Award by MAX for outstanding contributions to scientific advancements in Canada, and the 2024 Hamilton Health Sciences Medical Staff Association Humanitarian Award.

Dr. Amgad Elsherif

Dr. Amgad Ezzat Elsherif is a thoracic surgeon practicing in the Greater Toronto Area. Passionate about surgical education, he previously served as Program Director for the first ACGME-accredited surgery program with Johns Hopkins International.

Dr. Elsherif has organized and led numerous humanitarian and surgical missions to regions in need, including Africa, Syria, and Gaza. Dr. Amgad has traveled multiple times to Gaza and continues to provide support on the ground since the conflict began in October 2023. He brings his dedication and experience to help advance vital medical support in Gaza.

Dr. Anas Al Kassem 

Dr. Anas Al-Kassem is a trauma and bariatric surgeon practising in Canada. Dr Al-Kassem received his MD in Damascus, Syria, completed his general surgery training at the University of Ottawa, and his clinical fellowship in trauma at Foothills Medical Centre, Calgary. Dr. Al-Kassem extended his surgery skills and expertise by earning an MIS/Bariatric Surgery fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine in Texas. 

Dr. Al Kassem has traveled multiple times to Gaza to provide medical care. He initiated an electronic data registry system employed in trauma hospitals across Syria and continues to be involved in surgery missions to over 80 hospitals in the war-torn country.

Dr. Ben Thomson 

Dr Ben Thomson is a renowned public health expert, nephrologist and general internal medicine doctor, an award-winning educator, and global humanitarian physician. Following nephrology training at Western University, he has held faculty positions at Western University and Queen’s University, and his international teaching extends internationally, having served as a lecturer and physical examination demonstrator at IUG Medical School in Gaza City. He is responsible for the development of the Kidney-CAP, a medical device designed to improve the safety of dialysis treatments, and the aerosol-reducing mask, which enhances protection against airborne pathogens in clinical settings. He has worked to develop local capacities and ensure sustainable healthcare solutions around the world. In Uganda, he collaborated with the Canada Uganda Foundation in establishing a Women’s Health Center. In Gaza, his focus has been on improving medical infrastructure, providing critical medical education, and advocating for healthcare improvements under challenging conditions. Additionally, he co-founded EmpowerGaza, a project that improves energy sustainability in hospitals through solar power, directly supporting the resilience of medical services in crisis situations. Dr Thomson is a cancer survivor and an organ donor. He envisions a world where resilient, compassionate healthcare is accessible to all communities globally.

Dr. Catherine Clase

Dr Catherine Clase completed degrees in pathology and in medicine at Christ’s College, Cambridge, UK, and trained in internal medicine (Memorial University of Newfoundland), nephrology and health research methodology (McMaster University). Between 1997 and 2001, she was an assistant professor at Dalhousie University. She is a professor of medicine with research interests in chronic kidney disease, and in 2018 she was awarded the Dr John B Dossetor Research Award by the Kidney Foundation of Canada. In 2019 she co-chaired the KDIGO potassium controversies conference. She is an experienced editor and peer reviewer. Clinically, she is a medical lead for transitioning young people with kidney disease from pediatric to adult practice. She advocates for the use of masks in healthcare, workplaces, and institutions, to prevent the acute and chronic loss of health associated with recurrent COVID-19 infection, and is editor-in-chief of the website www.maskevidence.org. As part of a team, she coordinated the donation of several containers of humanitarian aid to Uganda and Ukraine.

Dr. Fozia Alvi 

Dr. Fozia Alvi is an American and Canadian board-certified family medicine physician who has devoted her career to advocating for marginalized people and underserved communities. A medical mission to Rohingya refugee camps motivated her to found Humanity Auxilium, a registered non-profit medical relief organization. Dr Alvi has led collaborative initiatives that have delivered medical aid in both conflicts and natural disasters, and provided food in times of famine, working in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Turkey, Syria, Yemen, and Palestine. She established and oversees a primary medical care clinic for Rohingya refugees, and was the driving force that established the Iman Alkhidmat Hospital in her native Pakistan. In February 2024, she participated in a medical relief mission to Gaza. Humanity Auxilium has since deployed 21 physician volunteers in four missions, and established three medical camps and two wound care centres. Humanity Auxilium's As-Salam Primary Care/Trauma Stabilization Point in Rafah stands as a beacon of excellence — its structure, workflow, and quality endorsed by the Gaza Ministry of Health. Humanity Auxilium is working with local chefs to spearhead a food distribution program, distributing 5,000 meals daily in times of imminent famine. She has received numerous awards and accolades, including Paul Harris Fellowship by Rotary Club Canada, the Humanitarian Award by UOSSM Canada, and the Advocacy Award by CAMSS, Calgary Area Medical Staff Society, and in 2019 was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.