Welcome to Poetry Friday, this week hosted by Tricia HERE. Thank you, Tricia, for hosting!
Dr. Paul Farmer, a pioneer and champion of global public health passed away suddenly at home this week. He was 62.
I learned about his amazing work and life through Tracy Kidder’s non-fiction book, MOUNTAINS BEYOND MOUNTAINS, which is brilliant. At a time when the medical community believed poor, sick patients with AIDS were not capable of taking complicated regimens of life saving medicine, he refused to accept that. He rejected the notion that hospitals were for the rich only.
Dr. Farmer proved that all people were capable of getting well if the needed social structures were in place to help them. For example, he established the clinics and hospitals in Haiti, to treat people with AIDS within their communities. Dr. Farmer was also involved in fighting Ebola, Tuberculosis and during the Covid 19 pandemic was instrumental in getting drug companies to share their technologies. I hope readers will learn more about him, as he had such an inspiring life.
DR. PAUL FARMER Because he respected all people. Because he understood illness has social roots. Because he believed health is a human right. Because he loved helping others. We will remember him. ©Janice Scully 2022
With the news about Ukraine, I was reminded that Paul Farmer went to Russia to help treat patients with Tuberculosis.
Thank you, Tricia, for hosting.
Thank you for this. I saw the news about Dr. Farmer and have no knowledge of him. Your post helps me understand more and, want to know more. I will be looking for more information on Dr. Farmer. Watching brilliant people do what they do best is a rare treat. This is a person I would admire and enjoy watching in action. I’m so sorry that we all have lost him.
I ordered Mountains Upon Mountains this week after I heard about Dr. Farmer’s passing. Thank you for honoring him, Janice, with your post/poem.
The book, Mountains Upon Mountains continues to be a requested book at the bookstore where I work, Janice. I cherish my copy & amongst all the other bad news last week, this topped it. How wonderful for you to write about him, yes, “we will remember”. This came up in the New Yorker feed, an article long ago “before” the book: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2000/07/10/the-good-doctor I thought you would enjoy it if you haven’t seen it. Thank you for this special post.
Beautiful poem/post for a beautiful soul. Thank you for introducing me to Dr. Farmer. 🙂
Lovely poem for Dr. Farmer. Thanks for honoring him and telling us why he is so important. Here is the PBS Newshour profile on him that I found instructive and memorable: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/remembering-paul-farmer-a-giant-in-the-world-of-public-health
Thank you!
Oh, this is beautiful.
Your poem is a beautiful tribute, Janice.
Thank you for sharing about Dr. Farmer. I didn’t know anything about him and will have to put Kidder’s book on my Wish List.
Thank you for honoring this amazing man. This is the kind of news I needed today. Well, of course not that he died so young, but that he did so much good. Inspiring.
Janice, thank you, thank you for remembering Dr. Farmer and introducing him to many of us. He died so young, but with so much good work he has accomplished. I like the simplicity of your poem. Thanks again for sharing.
What a legacy of love, service and hope. A reminder that even in the darkest hours, there are still those human beings with the will and the drive and the deep, deep love for their fellow humans, to change and save lives. Thank you for sharing his story with us.
Thank you for sharing the brilliance and dedication to humanity of this doctor. The world has lost yet another person who understood human plight. We need more doctors and servant leaders to move mountains.