COLLEAGUES have been offering their congratulations to Ealing surgeon Sala Abdalla.

Her charity is one of only three in the UK to receive special funding from the Royal College of Surgeons for England.

She picked up a £5,000 cheque in recognition of the humanitarian work that Operation International UK does in Africa.

Sala’s willingness to help others less fortunate led her to set up the charity, the Stefan Galeski Global Surgery Fellowship.

It involves surgeons, nurses and anaesthetists travelling to low-income countries, to carry out free operations and train doctors and nurses.

She said: “It’s a very proud moment and I am thrilled beyond words that my charity has received this recognition.”