Central Indiana doctor joins Nigeria D'Tigresse at Training Camp for World Cup

Community Health Network physician keeping national basketball team healthy

Kokomo-Community Howard Regional Health sports medicine physician, Dr. Mary Apiafi, has answered the call to head back to the court.

In 2006, she played for the Nigeria D'Tigresse, representing her native country in the women's basketball World Cup. Twelve years later, Dr. Apiafi is back with the team, this time as the interim physician. Her job is to keep players healthy as they train in Atlanta for the World Cup competition, coming up in September in Spain.

For the next few weeks, Dr. Apiafi is dividing her time between the Nigeria national team in Atlanta and her patients at Community Orthopedic Specialty Care, as well as Taylor High School athletes in Howard County. She says whether she's treating players in Atlanta or Indiana, "it's about getting the athlete back to the game in a safe and responsible manner, regardless of the level of competition."

Dr. Apiafi has had plenty of experience working with top athletes. Prior to joining Community in 2017, she worked with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Indians while completing her residency at the Cleveland Clinic.

About Community Health Network
Headquartered in Indianapolis, Community Health Network has been deeply committed to the communities it serves since opening its first hospital in 1956. Now with more than 13,000 caregivers and 200 sites of care, Community Health Network puts patients first while offering a full continuum of healthcare services, world-class innovations and a new focus on population health management. Exceptional care, simply delivered, is what sets Community Health Network apart and what makes it a leading not-for-profit healthcare destination in central Indiana. For more information about Community Health Network, please visit eCommunity.com.