Oct. 30, 2025: This past week, Lakewood had the privilege of welcoming back Dr. Alex Bararwandika, a retired physician from East Africa and longtime friend of Dr. Christine Albrecht, Lakewood’s chief medical officer.
Born and trained in Burundi, Dr. Alex lived through unimaginable loss and hardship during the country’s civil war in the mid-1990s, when his wife and youngest son were killed. Forced to flee for his life, he rebuilt from tragedy — reuniting with his surviving children at a refugee camp in Tanzania and devoting the next 20 years of his life to serving others through medicine at the Tabaka Mission Hospital.
Before becoming a doctor, Dr. Alex
was a teacher for nine years, specializing in math and science. His love for learning and helping others eventually led him to pursue medicine at age 29 — a calling that combined both his scientific mind and his compassionate heart.
At Tabaka Mission Hospital in Kenya, Dr. Alex led the HIV clinic, largely funded by the U.S. government, where he cared for countless patients who once felt hopeless.
“It was a great experience. Seeing people who at the beginning were hopeless, and your job being to restore hope to them. That was a very great experience for me,” he said.
Dr. Alex and Dr. Albrecht first met in 2005, when she was completing her international medical rotation at Tabaka. “She was very active, very enthusiastic,” he recalled. “We worked late into the night because there were few doctors — but she never stopped smiling.” The two formed a friendship that has endured nearly two decades, rooted in compassion and shared purpose. 
Now retired, the 70-year-old continues to inspire others through his wisdom and warmth. During his week-long visit, he shadowed Lakewood teams in surgery, wound care, respiratory therapy and diabetic education — gaining new insight into technology and patient care practices.
“The weather might be cold,” he said with a smile, “but people here [at Lakewood] have warm hearts. You see their love for their work in their faces.”
While in Staples, Dr. Alex also joined Lakewood staff and community members at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Lakewood Cancer Center, sharing in the excitement of this milestone moment. Having experienced cancer in his own family, the event held special meaning for him as he reflected on the importance of hope, healing and access to care close to home.
Despite the distance between Staples and Kenya, the bond between these colleagues and friends is a reminder that healthcare is a universal language — one of compassion, learning and hope.
Note: Since 2005, Dr. Albrecht, her family, and several Lakewood team members have traveled to Africa to experience the culture and assist with medical care. Photos courtesy of Dr. Albrecht.
