David Vanderpool, MD
Dr. David and Laurie Vanderpool started doing volunteer medical work 23 years ago, providing free health care in developing countries that suffered from either natural or man-made disasters. In 2005, the Vanderpools formally founded Mobile Medical Disaster Relief (MMDR) after Dr. Vanderpool and his eldest son, David S. Vanderpool, provided emergency medical care across the Mississippi coast after Hurricane Katrina. Soon after the hurricane, Dr. Vanderpool expanded his relief efforts to provide medical care and disaster relief abroad. They ran temporary medical clinics in war-torn and impoverished countries like Ghana, Mozambique, and Honduras.
In 2010, an earthquake devastated Haiti. Dr. Vanderpool was a first responder to provide care to thousands of patients affected by the disaster. After spending 12 days seeing patients with horrific injuries, performing countless operations, and witnessing the desperate need of Haiti, the Vanderpools felt called to help the Haitian people and provide a lasting impact in this country. Soon after this, MMDR rebranded itself as LiveBeyond. In May 2013, Dr. Vanderpool and Laurie officially moved to Thomazeau, Haiti on a full-time basis. They sold both their home in Brentwood, Tennessee, and Dr. Vanderpool’s private medical practice. LiveBeyond purchased 63 acres in Thomazeau, Haiti, a region outside of Port-au-Prince where Dr. and Mrs. Vanderpool now live and work. The LiveBeyond compound consists of the Hamilton Guest House, a demonstration farm, a school, a church, and a medical clinic.