Paul Farmer is My Hero

Being here in Spain I miss programs on the news quite often. I am a little delayed on this episode of Democracy Now that had an interview with Paul Farmer a month and a half ago. He does amazing work and his approach is brilliant. I posted about a 60 Minutes interview a while back also. Here's the link for the Democracy Now interview:


http://www.democracynow.org/2008/5/28/dr_paul_farmer_challenges_profit_driven

Over our vacation in Galicia I read a book called Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder. A book about Paul Farmer's life and his founding of Partners in Health along with Jim Kim and Ophelia Dahl, www.pih.org. It is an amazing book, challenging whatever thoughts one might have about global health care and health care for the poor. Had I read this before college, I just might have gone to medical school just for the simple reason of participating in this organization on that level. Inspiring and amazing doesn't cover it.

Next on the reading list are some of Farmer's own writings. I may have logistical problems of getting them here in Spain, so I may have to wait until we get back to the US. But Farmer has great insight into Haiti, health care as a human right, and the layers of political issues therein.

But I strongly recommend Mountains Beyond Mountains...life-changing summer reading people! =)