A thought experiment
Our perfectly designed US healthcare systemThe interregnum between a presidential election and the inauguration is a time of feverish activity, in which the president elect and his staff decide who will help them govern and what they will try to do first. The press and pundits speculate breathlessly on who will be appointed and what they will do first. As I write this, for example, we have just learnt that the new administration’s secretary of health and human services is likely to be a respected former US senator, Tom Daschle. He has written...
read moreBe present
Practice presenceBreathe in the squeaky cry of a too-thin infantdirt blowing off the road in your eyesthe pain of having too little to giveBreathe out flaming bougainvilleathe sun fading behind the hillmagic of medicine on an infected handBreathe in poverty and pain and confusionthe ache of tip-toeing on another’s sufferingBreathe out fresh watermelonHonduran coffee in the morninga game of duck-duck-goose.Breathe in the guilt of problems unanswered,wasted time, a broken worldBreathe out a new friendship and a fresh coat of paint.Practice...
read moreIn Memory of Bill Kamell
A ‘Compassionate, devoted’ manCanandaigua, NY — Compassionate caregiver, doting grandfather, man of deep and profound faith. These are just some of the ways family and friends will remember Dr. William M. Kamell, a longtime area orthopedic surgeon who died Oct. 16 at the age of 63.Dr. Kamell had such a deep and abiding passion for life, they said, that he still found reasons to celebrate even as a rare auto-immune condition robbed him of the things he loved to do.“He affirmed that life is good and worth living,” said Dr. Kamell’s oldest...
read moreTrip to Honduras
URMC to provide help in Hondurasby Justina Wang. Democrat & Chronicle Staff writerNext month, about a dozen University of Rochester Medical Center doctors, nurses and students will travel to Honduras to repair water filters, build cook stoves, hand out school supplies and talk with impoverished families. It’s not pure medical work, but they believe their helping hands could do more for the health of people in developing countries than any stethoscope or needle.”It’s so easy to see there that if you don’t have clean...
read moreFall MD Breakfast
Our next Breakfast will be held on Saturday morning, October 18th, from 9-11 am at the Academy of Medicine, 1441 East Avenue. Christian counselor Charlie Coté will be speaking about “Coping with the Impact of Grief.” In addition to insights from his professional practice, Charlie has a deeply moving personal testimony to share. Please mark your calendars and RSVP using our Response page. Be sure to note location (click here for Directions to the Academy of Medicine).
read moreRavi and the Sheik
Ravi Zacharias was the 2008 Honorary Chairman of the National Day of Prayer. He told the following story, excerpted from his keynote address at The Cannon House in Washington, DC, on May 1, 2008: Please forgive me if this illustration is a bit sensitive. I don’t say it with any ill intent. Three years ago, I was with the Archbishop of Canterbury. He’d taken five of us to the Middle East to talk to the leaders of all factions to bring together some kind of semblance of peace, some discussion. There were many of those appointments I chose not...
read moreA Garden Bouquet
Susan Morehouse Releases New CDAt an Open House for family and supporters today, Susan will be introducing her new harp CD Harpsongs II – A Bouquet from My Mother’s Garden.The album is a 65-minute “bouquet” of 22 classical, Celtic, and spiritual pieces, several of which feature Nicole Ferguson on the flute.If you would be interested in obtaining a copy, please visit Susan’s website or contact her directly.
read moreDr. Huang in Iraq
URMC neurosurgeon saves lives in Iraq Before Dr. Jason Huang became a major in the U.S. Army, he faced tanks at Tiananmen Square, served three years of house arrest, signed daily confessions to the Chinese police, was blacklisted by the government, had himself declared mentally ill, used a fake passport to enter the United States and became a political refugee, an American student, an American citizen and eventually a neurosurgeon at Strong Memorial Hospital. To understand the story is to know that – behind his calm words and steady...
read moreNews from the Seamans
I imagine all of you are aware of the double tragedies unfolding in Asia – the Myanmar typhoon and the Western China earthquake. We had considered going to Myanmar – but the way seems blocked at the moment for Americans (and most everyone else, for that matter). Pray for a breakthrough in the spiritual strongholds that keep help from arriving. Then there was the earthquake in China almost 1 week ago. We received a call from friends in China who live and work in that area. They have been contacted by many national believers who want to help...
read moreA loss to our community
Our dear colleague and friend Dr. Eric Cederstrom died on May 3 after a difficult battle with cancer.After completing his Family Practice residency and serving in the Army Medical Corps for several years, Eric started working at Hilton Health Care in 1990 and proved himself as a kind and compassionate physician and a trustworthy and loyal friend. Although he was diagnosed with cancer over a year ago, he continued to see patients until the beginning of March. He was an inspiration to all with his compassion and concern for his patients,...
read more
