Our Founder
The International Brain Foundation is the
vision of Scott R. Gibbs, MD, FACS, a neurosurgeon practicing in Cape Girardeau, MO.
Additionally, Dr. Gibbs is the founder of t
he Brain and NeuroSpine Clinic of Missouri, the Director of SoutheastHEALTHs Brain and Spine
Center and is on staff at Saint Francis Medical Center, all located in Cape Girardeau.
Dr. Gibbs earned a Bachelor and Master of Arts Degree in Biological Science from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1985 and 1989. He received his medical degree from the University of Missouri School of Medicine in 1991. Dr. Gibbs completed his internship in General Surgery in 1992 and a residency in Neurosurgery in 1997, both at University Hospital and Clinics in Columbia, MO. He received his Board Certification from The American Board of Neurological Surgery in 2002. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
Dr.
Gibbs spends one week every other year in Carron Hall, Jamaica serving as the
Medical Director for the Jamaican Christian Medical Mission. The mission
provides basic medical and dental care to individuals who have never received
such care. His dedication to the Medical Mission stems
from his belief that anytime we help someone, that helps us all. He uses his talent as a caretaker of God’s
people through the art of medicine and surgery. Dr. Gibbs’ work in Jamaica
provides basic medical and dental care to about 1,200 people during each
mission.
The residents of Carron Hall, Jamaica have no access to medical or dental care outside of the care provided by this all-inclusive medical mission team. The presence of this medical mission has raised awareness about hygiene, dental care, sexually transmitted disease prevention and preventative medicine.
Dr. Gibbs enjoys writing and was the Editor-in-Chief of the Year Book of Neurology and Neurosurgery for many years. He is also a noted author and public speaker, and was awarded the Samuel P.W. Black Prize for Excellence in Neurosurgery in 1991.
Dr. Gibbs and his wife Barbie reside in Jackson, MO and enjoy spending time with their children Michael, Benjamin, Alex, Eric, William, Matthew, Carol and Elizabeth.
The International Brain Foundation was formed with a primary focus of broadening awareness about the importance of brain development and safety to people of all ages – especially children and educators. The brainchild and vision of Dr. Gibbs, The International Brain Foundation grew out of another lofty dream; the creation of "The World's Largest Brain" hot air balloon, which has become the Foundation's flagship.
One summer evening, Dr. Gibbs had a chance encounter seeing the Wehrenberg Theaters’ Popcorn Bag hot air balloon. As he left the hospital after a long day of neurosurgery, the epiphany for the Brain Balloon was triggered when he noticed the shape and detail of the giant popcorn kernels. He wondered; “ If a hot air balloon could be manufactured in the shape of giant popcorn kernels, why not in the shape of a human brain?” As the Chief Resident Neurosurgeon at the University of Missouri School of Medicine he discovered the perfect “vehicle“ to super-size the message for everyone with a neurological disease, disorder or injury.
After months of
planning, and thousands of yards of precision-cut and sewn balloon fabric, with
a team of 150 people, and over 15,500 hours of labor, the Brain Balloon rolled off of the
assembly line. It was first inflated on March 5, 2001.
What began as a dream (and an unlikely one at that) has become an impressive reality enjoyed by millions around the globe. “Ironically, the Brain Balloon is a testimony to it’s own mission,” Gibbs reflects, “it's a huge object lesson that says ‘you’ll never know what you might accomplish until you put your mind to it’.”
Dr. Gibbs founded The International Brain Foundation and created the Brain Balloon to enlist other individuals and companies around the world to join him in the International Brain Foundation’s mission. He comments, “The brain is the organ of discovery, hope and human possibility … We’re not just flying a balloon, we’re flying a mission for education, inspiration and a celebration of human intelligence.”