Newswise — Englewood Cliffs, N.J., 7, October, 2013- International AIDS advocate, artist, and author, Mary Fisher, and nationally known and beloved Daniel D. Federman Professor of Medicine and Medical Education at Harvard Medical School (HMS) and Master of HMS Peabody Society, Ronald A. Arky, M.D., each received The Arnold P. Gold Foundation’s Humanism in Medicine Award for their exemplary work as advocates for compassionate healthcare. A standing room only crowd of nearly 400 gathered at WGBH in Boston on October 1, 2013 to celebrate the notable achievements of the honorees at The Gold Foundation’s inaugural event, The Golden Thread: Weaving Science and the Human Side of Medicine.
During the event, award-winning actress, Judith Light, read a poem written in tribute to her friend, Mary Fisher, by Harvard physician and poet Rafael Campo. Other notable performances included : Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet in A by notable Boston area musicians and medical students , Docapella, the Tuft’s University Medical School a capella group and dramatic monologues by Harvard medical student actors portraying some of the moving stories that illustrate the work of The Arnold P. Gold Foundation.
Mary Fisher’s moving acceptance speech talked about the value of each human life: “The promise of humanism is this: We can make a difference. Knowing that all is not well, you who are the healers will rise in the morning to love your patients, to comfort their families, to assure them that, so long as they breathe, they matter….”In remarking on his award, Dr. Arky said, “I was greatly honored by the recognition bestowed upon me as a leader in furthering humanism in the practice of medicine and in the education of young people entering the field of medicine. It was touching, gratifying and on a personal level deeply meaningful. The Golden Thread event embodied the mission of the Gold Foundation –the promotion of compassion, empathy and understanding in the care of every sick and disabled person.”
“When healthcare delivery is at its best, the gold threads of humanism and biological science are inextricably woven into the fabric of medical practice. If we lose the thread of humanity that has connected practitioners with their patients and families for the past 2,500 years, then we lose the opportunity to achieve optimal healthcare in this Century of Biology,” remarked Richard I. Levin, MD, President and CEO of the Gold Foundation.
Funds raised by the event will support the Gold Foundation’s programs in Boston’s medical schools and affiliated hospitals, including the foundation’s Research Institute for humanism in medicine housed at the Cambridge Health Alliance.
About the Arnold P. Gold Foundation: The Arnold P. Gold Foundation, established in 1988, is a not-for- profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of healthcare by enhancing the healthcare professional-patient relationship. It encourages the development of physicians who combine the high tech skills of cutting-edge medical science with the high touch skills of communication, empathy and compassion. Learn more at humanism-in-medicine.org.
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