December 13, 2018
Hello,
I watched the CNN Heroes of the Year last Sunday night—inspirational stories of ordinary human beings doing extraordinary things. Two physicians were among the 10 finalists.
Dr. Rob Gore, an emergency medicine physician at Kings County Hospital Center in Brooklyn, NY, founded KAVI (Kings Against Violence Initiative) in 2009. KAVI is a hospital and school-based violence intervention program designed to empower young people by teaching skills needed to avoid violence, addressing conflict resolution, restorative justice, and mediation. To quote Dr. Gore, “Conflict is not avoidable, but violent conflict is.”
Dr. Ricardo Pun-Chong, winner for the year, founded “Inspira” 10 years ago, a shelter to provide free housing, meals, and support for sick children and their mothers from all over Peru, allowing them to receive medical care in Lima, Peru. “I want these kids to enjoy life because life is beautiful….I want them to know they are not alone,” said Dr. Pun-Chong.
This annual CNN special, honoring ordinary citizens achieving the extraordinary, reminded me that there are heroes among us.
We celebrated one of our own heroes this week– Dr. James H. “Red” Duke, Jr., the subject of a new biography by Dr. Bryant Boutwell. Dr. Boutwell, former faculty member in the McGovern Center for Humanities and Ethics and special adviser to the president, talked about Dr. Duke’s inspirational life and career, highlighting chapters from his book. Dr. Boutwell is an engaging storyteller and his wonderful talk about an extraordinary person enthralled the audience. Dr. Duke, former McGovern trauma surgeon, was a remarkable human being– one of those heroes who walked among us. The father of Life Flight and trauma care in Houston made an indelible impact on students, colleagues, and, most importantly, patients and families.
This past Monday the world celebrated Human Rights Day, the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 10, 1948. This document, the most translated in the world, proclaims the inalienable rights to which we are all entitled. Eleanor Roosevelt chaired the UN Human Rights Commission that drafted the charter—a document that many consider her greatest legacy. When the document was adopted, she wrote, “We stand today at the threshold of a great event both in the United Nations and in the life of mankind….This Declaration may well become the International Magna Carta” that will raise human beings around the world “to a higher standard of life and a greater enjoyment of freedom.”
“Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home – so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world …. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain in the larger world.”
As we think of the human condition around the world, it’s clear that despite progress, there is still work to be done. Perhaps the best way to celebrate this 70th anniversary is to embrace and work to ensure that the principles of the Declaration are followed throughout the world.
Warm regards,
Barbara
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