Penn Highlands Healthcare Physicians Have Interesting Hobbies
Northwestern Pennsylvania
It’s hard to call it a hobby when you spend your free time doing what you do for your day job, but Nii-Daako Darko, DO, who specializes in trauma and acute care surgery at Penn Highlands DuBois, provides surgical care to the underserved. For the past 12 years, Dr. Darko has traveled to Ghana to perform general surgery such as thyroidectomies and hernia repair. The team he travels with addresses primary care and women’s health including cervical cancer screening and urogynecology.
“We focus heavily on bi-directional education. We learn as much from the people we are helping as they learn from us,” said Dr. Darko. “We also focus on sustainability so that anything we do there can continue to run smoothly while we are gone for the next 11 months.”
Dr. Darko is part of a diverse team that travels to Ghana that includes physicians, physician assistants, certified registered nurse practitioners, nurses and college students.
“Our mantra is: We wouldn’t do anything in Ghana that we wouldn’t do in the United States,” added Dr. Darko.
Southwestern Pennsylvania
Mohsen Isaac, MD, the Medical Director of Radiation Oncology at Penn Highlands Mon Valley, also provides humanitarian care by raising awareness and funds to help disabled adults and children in his native country — Egypt — through Archangels Michael and Gabriel Coptic Relief Organization, which he co-founded. However, when he is not at the hospital providing expert care to patients who require targeted doses of radiation oncology, Dr. Isaac can be found in his kitchen baking Egyptian or Turkish bread, trap shooting or in the skies piloting an airplane.
“I do not like wasting my free time; and I especially do not like easy things,” said the father of two.
In 2024, he obtained his private pilot license after flying more than 100 hours from Washington County Airport.
“It was a new challenge and I like challenges,” he said with a smile.
Dr. Isaac typically flies alone or with his wife, Nevine. To date, they have traveled as far as 150 miles away in single-engine Cessna and Piper planes.
Northwest/Central Pennsylvania
What started as an unintentional encounter has turned into a passion for Kelley Smith, DO, FACOS, a board-certified general surgeon who specializes in women’s health including breast surgery at Penn Highlands Healthcare. Dr. Smith uses her passion for Zumba to help raise money for organizations in the community — particularly the PINK Zumbathon.
Zumba is a Latin-inspired cardio-dance workout that uses music and choreographed steps to create a fun, fitness focused workout designed for people of all ages and fitness levels. A PINK Zumbathon is a global Zumba charity event that raises funds and awareness for breast cancer research and prevention by encouraging Zumba participants to wear pink and support the cause.
“I started Zumba by coincidence, in 2019, when my daughter was taking a soccer class at the YMCA,” explained Dr. Smith. “I wandered into the class and never stopped.”
Dr. Smith said that she was drawn to Zumba by the music, dance and stress relief, but it became much more with the PINK Zumbathon which ties in nicely with her work with women’s health and breast cancer.
“We have been able to create educational material and a room of supplies for patients with the funds raised,” she explained.
“Zumba has many places to participate. I currently do classes with a wonderful group of local people and encourage everyone to try classes in their community,” she added.
These are just three of the many Penn Highlands Healthcare physicians who are active in their communities and beyond borders helping others while enjoying their hobbies. The health system offers physicians from family medicine to those who specialize in areas such as cardiology, cancer care, orthopedics and more. To find a physician in your area, visit www.phhealthcare.org/findadoc.
