Dr. Helena Ndume pays tribute to late NBA legend Dikembe Mutombo

Following the death of NBA Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo, we spoke with ophthalmologist Dr. Helena Ndume, who worked with him on different humanitarian projects. A few years back, a team of Namibian eye care professionals, led by Dr. Ndume, provided free sight-restoration surgeries during a three-day clinic at Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital, organised at the invitation of Dikembe Mutombo.

Mutombo died from brain cancer on Monday, at the age of 58. Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mutombo went to Washington’s Georgetown University initially on an academic scholarship but rose to fame when he joined the basketball team in his second year. Mutombo was also highly regarded beyond the game for his humanitarian work around the world. He invested millions of dollars in charitable causes, including building a hospital in the DRC to improve access to healthcare for thousands of people.