.

Kenneth A. Krumins, MD, grew up outside Philadelphia, one of three sons of a Latvian immigrant who owned a construction company. Krumins spent his summers during medical school working alongside his family, shingling roofs and tacking up siding. While his brothers followed in their father's footsteps. Those summer construction jobs motivated Krumins to seek an indoor career path that required hands-on work. After rotating with doctors of various practices, he chose orthopaedic surgery, and it's turned out to be a perfect fit.

Dr. Krumins graduated magna cum laude from DePauw University, received his medical degree from the Medical College of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and completed his orthopaedic residency at the State University of New York in Syracuse. He also received specialized training in sports medicine and knee surgery under Dr. James Barnett through the J. Allen Lacey, M.D. Fellowship at the Jewett Orthopaedic Clinic, where he now practices. Krumins specializes in arthroscopic and reconstructive knee surgery, sports medicine, minimally invasive knee joint replacement, and lower extremity trauma.

Krumins credits Barnett with teaching him how to have a surgeon's hand and a servant's heart. "Jimmy was an important mentor to me. He taught me a lot about life, a lot about orthopaedics, and how to give back to the community."

Krumins has been volunteering in the community since 1997, including 17 years with the University of Central Florida's athletics department, where he currently serves as the medical director for all sports and travels with the Knights' football team. He has found his volunteer work with the student-athletes to be most gratifying, with several patients making valiant returns from injuries before transitioning to careers as professional athletes.

Earlier, this year, Krumins also began giving his time and talents to Shepherd's Hope, a faith-based nonprofit organization that provides free primary care and specialty care medical services to uninsured patients from five free-standing health centers in Orange and Seminole counties. The organization also operates the Community Referral Provider Program (CRPP), designed to give sovereign immunity to volunteer physicians and other community health care partners who provide free specialty care services to Shepherd's Hope patients.

Krumins shares his thoughts and experiences as one of Shepherd's Hope's newest medical volunteers:

• Why did you choose to volunteer at Shepherd's Hope?

"Three reasons. First, I believe you need to do more than just live and work in the community - you need to give something back to it. Second, I knew that a few of my partners at Jewett Orthopaedic had volunteered at Shepherd's Hope over the years and had positive experiences, including Dr. Brian Barnard and Dr. John Papa. Finally, my son had a friend in law school who was working at Shepherd's Hope over the summer and she mentioned to him their great need for orthopaedic care. It was serendipity."

• Is there a memorable patient encounter that is especially meaningful to you?

"Yes. In fact, it was the very first patient I saw on my first night volunteering at the downtown clinic. A young woman who had just relocated from Jamaica came in with an unstable ankle fracture that needed urgent surgery. She was two weeks out from her injury when she showed up at the clinic and I was able to provide her with the urgent care she needed."

"Working with Shepherd's Hope's CRPP, we received sovereign immunity authorization and cleared this patient for surgery within 24 hours. It was unbelievable. Two days after she presented at the clinic, we performed the surgery. Today, she's three months post-op, walking and doing amazingly well."

"Beyond this patient, the entire experience of volunteering at Shepherd's Hope is really quite special. The staff is extremely helpful, and they even provide a scribe to assist me with the patients. I've been struck by the huge need for orthopaedic care. One night, I saw four patients who needed an operation. Helping these patients who would not otherwise have access to medical care reaffirms the feeling that you're doing something amazing for them and the community."

• When you're not working or volunteering in the community, what do you enjoy doing?

"My two favorite hobbies are snow skiing and offshore sports fishing. I especially love downhill skiing and friendly competitions with the Orlando Ski Club. My personal best event was skiing 57,510 vertical feet in a single day in Mount Bachelor, Oregon and winning first place in a vertical distance competition."

"When it comes to fishing, I love competing in sailfish, marlin and yellowfin tuna tournaments. I've traveled to many tropical places and won six tournaments over the years. On the top of my bucket list is catching a grander blue marlin (1,000 pounds) in Australia­­ - something that's very hard to do. My biggest catch to date is a 468-pound blue marlin."

The specialties represented in Shepherd's Hope's Community Referral Provider Program range from gastroenterology and neurosurgery to ophthalmology and obstetrics/gynecology. The volunteer providers determine the number of patient cases they are willing to see and the types of services they will provide. Currently, there is a need for neurology, otolaryngology (ENT), and general surgery practices.

To learn more about joining Shepherd's Hope's CRPP network, please contact Community Care Manager Ella Romano at (407) 876-6699, ext. 241 or ella.romano@shepherdshope.org.

For information about volunteering at a Shepherd's Hope clinic, contact Volunteer Program Manager Abby Seelinger at (407) 876-6699, ext. 233 or abby.seelinger@shepherdshope.org, or visit www.shepherdshope.org/volunteers.