Cabo Verdean American Medical Society

4th Annual Meeting 2024
2024-09-27 08:00 - 2024-09-28 17:00 (America/New_York)
Location

Rhode Island Hospital – Friday, September 27 (8.00 AM – 5.00 PM)
Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University – Saturday, September 28 (8.00 AM – 5.00 PM)

About this event
Attendees will learn about the issues impacting the health of Cabo Verdianos and gain the skills to address current and future health challenges facing the community in the islands and the United States. The conference will highlight current collaboration between healthcare providers in the US and Cabo Verde and emphasize the following key issues: building workforce capacity, medical education, forming effective cross-cultural collaborations, building community, and promoting research.
OBJECTIVES:

Gain insight into the organizational structure of the current Cabo Verdianos health system, and identify its key infrastructural pillars including facilities and services, existing healthcare workforce, current information technology, and intrinsic challenges.
Attain an understanding of the current health education system in Cabo Verde and address the current and future workforce needs. Identify the areas where CVAMS members have identified gaps and discuss their efforts to train Cabo Verdianos doctors, nurses, radiology technicians, and others.
Develop relationship and community building skills across cultures. Learn to acknowledge and honor differences among professionals and learn from each other in a trusting atmosphere of cultural humility.
Convene organizations of Cabo Verdianos Americans to spotlight their visions, current projects and opportunities for the CV community.
Highlight current research projects by Cabo Verdiano researchers in the United States and the islands.

We are excited to welcome you to our upcoming CVAMS 4th Annual Meeting conference weekend! Below, you will find important details for each day, including parking instructions and venue information.

Friday, September 27th, 2024
Location: Rhode Island Hospital – George Auditorium
593 Eddy Street, Providence, RI 02903
Parking Instructions:

Please park at the Plain Street public parking lot.
Walk towards the APC (Ambulatory Patient Center).
Check in at Security to receive a guest sticker.
A short walk will take you to George Auditorium.

For more information about parking and directions, please visit:
Rhode Island Hospital Maps and Directions

Saturday, September 28th, 2024
Location: The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University – Main Atrium
222 Richmond St, Providence, RI
For parking details and directions, please visit:
Warren Alpert Medical School Maps and Directions

If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to reach out. We look forward to seeing you and hope you have a fantastic conference experience!

Research Symposium: Learn About Cape Verdeans Doing Research
2024-09-27 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Santiago)
Friday Evening Post Conference Reception at the Cape Verdean Museum
617 Prospect St, Pawtucket, RI

Research Symposium: Learn About Cape Verdeans Doing Research
After the conference, unwind with us at the Cape Verdean Museum for our Research Symposium. A relaxed evening of engaging conversations and delightful refreshments while exploring research in microbiology, pediatric equity, and medical mentorship.
It’s a perfect opportunity to mingle with researchers and fellow attendees in a charming setting. Come and connect over fascinating research and good company. We can’t wait to see you there!

2024 Gala Fundraiser in Providence by Cabo Verdean American Medical Society
2024-09-28 19:00 - 2024-09-29 00:00 (America/Santiago) | Providence Marriott Downtown, 1 Orms Street, Providence, RI, 02904, United States
Let’s Advance Healthcare Together
Be part of history at our fundraising evening, where your presence helps shape a better future—celebrate inspiring healthcare achievements, enjoy live performances by Cremilda Medina and surprise artists.
Buy Tickets
Date and Time:
Saturday, September 28th
7 PM – 12 AM
Location
Providence Marriott Downtown
1 Orms Street Providence, RI 02904
An evening of celebration on the 4th Anniversary of The Cabo Verdean American Medical Society, nurses, physicians , mental health workers giving back to our communities, restoring vision with cataract surgery, saving lives with cardiac peacemakers, cancer surgery and suicide prevention among many other wonderful projects. Come learn more and contribute with the wonderful voice of Cremilda Medina and other artists.
Plus a surprise artist!
Join us for an elegant reception at the Grand Ballroom, beginning at 7 PM.
Savor a delightful dinner featuring exquisite New England cuisine, perfectly paired with fine wines.

CVAMS Annual Conference
2025-10-03 08:00 - 2025-10-04 17:00 (America/New_York)
Morabeza: Decolonizing Global Health and Celebrating 50 Years of Progress in Cabo Verde
Bringing Morabeza to Medicine
Celebrating 5th Year Anniversary
Providence, RI
October 3rd to 4th of 2025
Research Symposium
Friday, October 3rd, 2025, 6 pm–8 pm
Cape Verdean Museum, Pawtucket, RI
Conference
Saturday, October 4th, 2025, 8:30 am – 5 pm
Rhode Island Hospital, George Auditorium
Conference Objectives
1. Critically examine the legacy and ongoing impact of colonialism in global health systems and engage participants in dialogue about the historical and structural forces that shape health inequities in formerly colonized nations and diaspora communities.
2. Promote healing from colonization trauma and avoid re-traumatization in decolonization efforts and create intentional spaces for reflection and healing, and develop practices that foster cultural humility, psychological safety, and restorative dialogue in global health collaborations.
3. Highlight healthcare advancements in Cabo Verde since independence and showcase the evolution of health infrastructure, education, and research in Cabo Verde over the past 50 years
4. Amplify voices from the Global South in academic and policy discourse and provide a platform for scholars, clinicians, and community leaders from Cabo Verde and the diaspora to share their work and perspectives.
5. Foster research collaboration and knowledge exchange between the diaspora and Cabo Verde and facilitate networking and partnership-building opportunities between researchers, institutions, and practitioners.
6. Promote equitable practices in global health education, funding, and decision-making and explore strategies for centering equity and justice in international health initiatives and medical education curricula.

Schedule

Morning Session October 4th 2025

8:25 – 8:55 AM — Registration & Check-In
8:55 – 9:10 AM — Welcome & Introduction
9:10 – 9:25 AM — Research Presentation 1: Challenges of Conducting Clinical Science Research in CV — Dr. Pamela Borges
9:25 – 9:40 AM — Research Presentation 2: Doreen DeFaria Yeh, MD and team
9:40 – 9:55 AM — Research Presentation 3: Challenges of performing basic science research in CV – Jay Brito Querido, PhD
9:55 – 10:10 AM — Q&A Session for Research Presentations
10:10 – 10:40 AM — Keynote Address: Decolonization of Global Health Systems — Dr. Oyere Onuma
10:40 – 11:10 AM — Guest Speaker:Healing from Colonization Trauma — Dr. Adriano Cabral
11:10 – 11:25 AM — Panel: Dr. Oyere & Dr. Cabral (Moderator: Dr. Ana Sophia Lopes Johnson)
11:25 – 12:10 PM — Surgical Panel: Impact of CVAMS on Surgical Care/Education in Cabo Verde — Drs. Timothy Johnson, Roberto Pineda, Robert Teixeira, Rui P. Fernandes (Moderator: Dr. Gil Freitas)

12:10 – 12:40 PM — Lunch Break

12:40 – 1:10 PM — Evolution of Nursing Care in Cabo Verde — Elga Mirta Furtado Barreto de Carvalho & Vera Monteiro
1:10 – 1:40 PM — Medical School’s Role in Addressing Health Care Workforce — Dr. Antonieta Martins
1:40 – 1:55 PM — Questions for CV Panel (Moderator: Dr. Patrice Alves)
1:55 – 2:40 PM — Panel on Women’s Health — Drs. Leny Dias, Veronica Pimentel, Susan Weinberg, Doreen DeFaria Yeh (Moderator: Lyla Blake)
2:40 – 3:10 PM — Health Equity and Maternal Health: Fireside Chat with Manuel Lopes and Samantha DeAndrade, MD.

3:10 – 3:25 PM — Break
3:25 – 3:55 PM — Special Address: Future of Health Care in Cabo Verde — George Figueiredo, MD
3:55 – 4:10 PM — Audience Q&A with the Minister
4:10 – 4:40 PM — Celebrating 5 Years of CVAMS — Drs. Madelaine Tully & Patricia Andrade
4:40 – 5:00 PM — Closing Remarks & Departure

Faculties
 Pamela Borges, PhD — Biomedical scientist and cancer researcher at Hospital Universitário Agostinho Neto (Praia); focuses on breast cancer genetics and diagnostics.
 Doreen DeFaria Yeh, MD — Cardiologist; Co-Director, Cardiovascular Disease & Pregnancy Program; Director, Cardiology Fellowship, Massachusetts General Hospital; Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.
 Jay Brito Querido, PhD — Assistant Professor (UMich Medical School) and Research Assistant Professor, Life Sciences Institute; structural biologist using cryo-EM to study translation initiation.
 Oyere Onuma, MD, MSc — Cardiologist; Founding Director, Global Cardiovascular Health Program, MGH; Yale MD, Harvard Chan MSc;
 Adriano Cabral, MEd, CAGS — Executive Director, Inclusion Family Counseling Center (Brockton/New Bedford); leads culturally responsive mental-health services for immigrant communities.
 Ana Sofia Lopes Johnson, MD — Family physician; past President, Association of Black Women Physicians; member, Tufts School of Medicine Board of Advisors; advocate for health equity.
 Timothy S. Johnson, MD — Orthopaedic surgeon (sports medicine, shoulder/elbow); Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins; longtime MLB team physician (Baltimore Orioles).
 Roberto Pineda II, MD — Ophthalmologist, Mass Eye and Ear/Harvard; cornea, cataract & refractive surgery;
 Robert M. Teixeira, MD — Plastic & reconstructive surgeon (hand/upper extremity), Assistant Professor, University of Utah Health; microsurgery and peripheral nerve surgery.
 Rui P. Fernandes, DMD, MD, FACS — Oral & maxillofacial surgeon; Professor of Surgery, University of Florida–Jacksonville; head & neck oncology and microvascular reconstruction.
 Gil S. Freitas, MD — General/bariatric surgeon, UMass Memorial Medical Center; Tufts University School of Medicine graduate.
 Elga Mirta Furtado Barreto de Carvalho, PhD — Nurse and educator; doctoral research (2022) at Uni-CV’s FCT; faculty/graduate studies contributor.
 Vera Monteiro — Nurse executive; Superintendent Nurse (Board member) at Hospital Dr. Baptista de Sousa, São Vicente.
 Antonieta Martins, MD — Physician and medical educator; helped establish/coordinate Uni-CV’s Faculty of Medicine and support specialty training in Cabo Verde.
 Patrice J. Alves, MD — Family physician and health-system leader; extensive global and mission experience.
 Leny Dias, MD — Physician-scientist (Internal Medicine); clinical fellow and educator with Harvard-affiliated institutions.
 Veronica Maria Pimentel, MD, MS, FACOG — Maternal-Fetal Medicine specialist, Trinity Health of New England; UConn/Quinnipiac faculty; advocate and ACOG podcast host.
 Susan Weinberg, MD, FACR — Board-certified diagnostic radiologist; Fellow of the American College of Radiology;
 Lyla Blake, MD, MPH — Physician at Community Health Center of Cape Cod; primary care and community health.
 Manuel Lopes – President and Chief Executive Officer of Fallon Health.
 Jorge Figueiredo, MD — Minister of Health, Cabo Verde (since Feb 7, 2025); physician with MSc in Health Systems Development; former national health director.
 Madelaine Tully, MD — Family physician, Progressive Community Health Centers, Milwaukee; 2019 “Health Care Hero”
honoree.
 Patricia Andrade, MD, FACS — General & breast surgeon; Chief of Surgery, Morton Hospital (MA); Dartmouth/Brown Medical graduate;
 Julio Teixeira
 Paulo R Pina

5th Annual Fundraiser Gala
2025-10-04 19:00 (America/Santiago) | Providence Marriott Downtown, 1 Orms Street, Providence, RI, 02904, United States
Date: Saturday October 4th of 2025
Location: Providence Marriott Downtown, 1 Orms Street, Providence RI 02904
Celebrating our 5th Year Anniversary
Our signature Gala Fundraiser will follow on Saturday, October 4, from 7–11 PM at the Marriott Downtown Providence. This celebratory evening will feature live entertainment from internationally renowned Cabo Verdean artists Maria Barros, Michel Montrond, Assol Garcia, and DJ Chris.
Over the past five years, CVAMS has delivered life-changing care across eight islands of Cabo Verde. We have launched specialized surgical and cardiac initiatives (rheumatic heart disease screening program), cancer screening research, supported the WTL Health Clinic in Pawtucket, RI, and provided over $2 million worth of medical supplies and equipment to hospitals and clinics in need.
This work is only possible with the support of generous partners like you. We invite you to join us as a sponsor in continuing this vital mission. Your contribution will help fund medical training, critical supplies, and healthcare delivery in underserved and remote communities—both abroad and locally.
Together, we can expand access, strengthen systems, and save lives.

Invitation – Emergency Medicine Committee Meeting | Emergency Medicine Residency Curriculum (2026)
2026-01-14 15:00 - 18:00 (America/Santiago)
Greeting folks,
As we prepare for an important milestone in Cabo Verde’s healthcare system—the development of an Emergency Medicine residency curriculum, with the goal of launching in 2026—we would like to invite interested members to participate in an upcoming Emergency Medicine Committee meeting this Wednesday 01/14 at 3 PM ET
Meeting Details:
Wednesday 01/14 at 3 PM ET
Zoom: https://bostonu.zoom.us/j/2446363129
This committee will focus on shaping a curriculum that is clinically strong, locally relevant, and aligned with best practices in Emergency Medicine training and global health implementation. We are particularly seeking colleagues with experience in:

Emergency Medicine education or residency training
Curriculum development
Global health systems and implementation
Capacity building in low- and middle-income settings

The Emergency Committee is led by Dr. Joseph Gomes, and this meeting will serve as an opportunity to align on goals, scope, and next steps.
If you are interested in contributing your expertise or learning more about this initiative, we would be delighted to have you join us.
Thank you for your continued engagement and commitment to strengthening healthcare education in Cabo Verde.
Meeting Details:
Wednesday 01/14 at 3 PM ET
Zoom: https://bostonu.zoom.us/j/2446363129
Warm regards,
Samora Miguel Cardoso Lopes
Executive Director
Cabo Verdean American Medical Society (CVAMS)

Cabo Verdean Diaspora Health Summit in Brazil
2026-01-16 - 2026-01-19
Dates: Friday, January 16, 2026 – Monday, January 19, 2026
Location: Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
Objective:

To bring together the CVAMS Brazilian Chapters and members of the Cabo Verdean diaspora for an energizing long weekend of health discussions, cultural connection, and community building. This summit offers a unique opportunity to meet, collaborate, and celebrate our shared heritage in one of Brazil’s most vibrant cities.

Event Agenda – Coming Soon

You’ll receive the Hotel Reservation Link once Registered!

If you have any questions or need clarification, please feel free to contact me (Samora) directly at Samora.Lopes@cvams.

2026 One World, One Heart: A Benefit to End Rheumatic Heart Disease in Cape Verde
2026-01-22 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Santiago)
Join us for a warm and cozy winter evening dedicated to healing hearts and protecting young lives in Cape Verde, featuring Matthew Slater of the New England Patriots.

Join us for a reception style event, hear stories from the frontlines and hear from MGB clinicians on the importance of this effort.
Thank you to Shahrzad and Matthew Slater for hosting this event, and thank you to IRA Motor Group for generously donating the event space.
Please RSVP by January 14th.
Event Details:
Date and Time: Thursday, January 22, 2026 – 6:30-8:30pm
Location: Mercedes-Benz of Westwood, 425 Providence Hwy, Westwood, MA 02090
Sponsors:
The Slater Family Foundation
IRA Motor Group

2026 One World, One Heart: A Benefit to End Rheumatic Heart Disease in Cape Verde - Campaign
2026-01-22 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Santiago)
Join us for a warm and cozy winter evening dedicated to healing hearts and protecting young lives in Cape Verde, featuring Matthew Slater of the New England Patriots.

Join us for a reception style event, hear stories from the frontlines and hear from MGB clinicians on the importance of this effort.
Thank you to Shahrzad and Matthew Slater for hosting this event, and thank you to IRA Motor Group for generously donating the event space.
Please RSVP by January 14th.
Event Details:
Date and Time: Thursday, January 22, 2026 – 6:30-8:30pm
Location: Mercedes-Benz of Westwood, 425 Providence Hwy, Westwood, MA 02090
https://because.massgeneral.org/event/2026-one-world-one-heart-a-benefit-to-end-rheumatic-heart-disease-in-cape-verde/e753936
