Compassion, by its very nature, is engaged. Compassion asks the question,”What can I do to help?”
For many, global health provides an answer. – David Addiss, MD, MPH
COMPASSION FROM THE FIELD…
I care about global health because I care about people and because people have cared about me. I would not be here today if it were not for the caring and compassion of other people.
Global health is not just about acknowledging the suffering of others but it is about saying, ‘Well, how much of this suffering is premature or even unnecessary, and what might we do collectively to lessen it?’
In epidemiology you are oftentimes dealing with graphs or tables or numbers… so it’s important to be grounded and to see the faces.
Solutions to health problems do not always appear in the same place as the problems themselves, and it may take a global effort to join the two.
Data from a variety of different sources that show that compassion makes a difference. It makes a difference in the lives of patients and it makes a difference in the lives of the people that provide that care.
The compassion in global health symposium was a milestone for me – I never thought ASTMH would approve a symposium on such a topic. It’s also been an individual journey as I try to reconnect with my own sense of compassion and motivation for this work. I was gratified by the response to the symposium, and hope that we find ways to advance the conversation.
I just had to write to express my gratitude for putting together the Compassion symposium at the ASTMH conference. I really hope this will become an annual part of the ASTMH conference… it was exactly what I needed to encourage me in my global health pursuits!!
Global health is deeply rooted in compassion, a fundamental source of inspiration and motivation. Grounded in an awareness of our interconnectedness and a concern with the whole, global health and compassion both seek to build bridges between people who are separated by geography, politics, resources, and other factors. Learn about the impact of compassion on global health.
Compassion is a central motivation for global health, and millions of compassionate acts that are offered each day in primary health care clinics, refugee health units, and public health programs around the world. Global health leaders, practitioners, and students are now bringing compassion into the center of global heath discourse. Contact us to share your story!
Resources and information – including documentaries, videos, books, articles, and more – are available about the emerging role of compassion in global health. Learn about opportunities, events, presentations, retreats, and more to deepen your understanding and practice of compassion and to apply this to your work in global health.