Quint Studer starts his book Hardwiring Excellence with a discussion of what he calls “Fire Starters.” These are people who have had a great effect on the lives of others, or, in the health care field, those “who are committed to transforming health care through compassion, imagination, and often, sheer determination.”* The author’s description of “Fire Starters” immediately made me think of a book that I read over the summer entitled Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, A Man Who Would Cure the World, by Tracy Kidder. I know that each of you is very, very busy with course readings and assignments, but I would recommend that during your time at the School of Public Health, you read this book.
Dr. Paul Farmer is a physician, a professor at Harvard University, and currently the Executive Vice President of Partners in Health (PIH), an organization he helped found in 1987. Mountains Beyond Mountains tells the story of Farmer’s life and the formation of PIH, which began in 1983 when a community-based health project called Zanmi Lasante was established by Farmer and others in Cange, Haiti to deliver quality care to residents of the country’s Central Plateau. Since the establishment of PIH, the organization has expanded, and is now involved in projects in nine countries around the world.** If any of you would like more information about PIH, their website is http://www.pih.org/home.html. This site is full of information on the organization itself and the projects it is carrying out, and also has a comprehensive “Recommended Reading” list for issues of interest related to PIH and its activities, as well as a listing of jobs available with the organization.
Mountains Beyond Mountains is an amazing book about a truly inspirational individual; Dr. Farmer’s determination to ameliorate the health conditions of those in Haiti, and later in countries around the world, is remarkable. Kidder’s description of the man is almost hard to believe, and at times, Farmer seems super-human. He is a man who puts the well-being of his patients above all else, and who has contributed immensely to building an outstanding organization dedicated to ameliorating the health outcomes of the world’s less fortunate. This book gave me renewed hope that global health disparities can be tackled, and reaffirmed my desire to pursue a degree in public health. If, over the next two years, any of you find some spare time, reading Mountains Beyond Mountains would definitely be a good way to use it up.
