Ray Foster was born in Los Angeles, California, the second son of the late J.G. Foster, MD. J.G. Foster started a health and educational program called Riverside Farm in Zambia, Africa in 1973. Dr. Foster followed in his father's footsteps as a medical missionary. He graduated from medical school at the University of Cape Town in 1959. He took an orthopedic residency at the White Memorial Hospital in Los Angeles, California. For about eleven years Ray did reconstructive surgery for leprosy patients in Africa as the director of TALRES, the Trans Africa Leprosy Research and Rehabilitation Service of Seventh-day Adventists. TALRES served ten mission hospitals in six central African countries. Transportation was provided by a single-engine Cessna aircraft that was donated by the Quiet Hour listeners. Both Dr. Foster and his wife, Frances are pilots.
After mission service in Africa for eleven years as a flying surgeon, Dr. Foster came back to the United States and spent about a year at Wildwood hospital before being called to Loma Linda University Medical School as an associate professor of orthopedics, title which he still holds. After 15 years in Loma Linda including most of that time doing general orthopedic practice with the Riverside Medical Clinic. Dr. Foster accepted a call to start a medical clinic in Seattle. He has been the medical director of the NEWSTART Healthcare clinic for the last nine years.
Dr. Foster was asked to join the team of the Black Hills Health and Education Center in 2004. He brings great potential by bringing dramatic improvement to many guests. He is doing research on the program results. By publishing the lifestyle intervention outcomes of the guest experience at BHHEC, he wants to impact the health of the nation. He is accompanied by Frances, his faithful wife of 44 years who is an RN. They have two daughters, Beth in Cottage Grove, Oregon, and Ruth in Lytton, BC, Canada, they think South Dakota is a long ways away, but closer than Africa!
Dr. Foster is in charge of the medical aspect of the program, he will be assisting Michael Olivier, M.D. as assumes the role of Medical Director.
