VISITING A HERO SURGEON
Jun 27, 2015 by Casey Coates Danson
By NICHOLAS KRISTOF
|
| That’s me in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan, interviewing villagers as they fetch water. It’s a scary place to report from, because the Sudanese government periodically drops bombs on anything that moves. But if it’s scary for a visit, imagine working here day in, day out, amputating limbs and treating burns of those injured in the bombs – and doing all this as the government is dropping bombs on you. |
| That’s what Dr. Tom Catena, an American surgeon is doing, and he’s the subject of my Sunday column. One of the pleasures of having a column is the privilege of shining a spotlight on some heroes of our time, and “Dr. Tom” is one of those heroes. |
| I also wanted to highlight Dr. Tom because he’s driven to work here because of his deep Catholic faith. I often hear friends make disparaging comments about aid workers driven by faith, partly reflecting the “God Gap” in American society between the secular world and the conservative Christian world. I think this religious divide is unhealthy and unfair. Dr. Tom is a conservative Catholic, and I disagree with him on a million issues – but I’m just full of admiration for what he’s doing in Nuba. So I use my column to explore this divide, in hopes that bleeding hearts can unite whatever their theology or lack thereof. (For those who want to support Dr. Tom’s efforts, I have information on my blog about how to do so.) |
| On another front, you may remember that I was recently in Baltimore, on a U.S. swing for my annual win-a-trip journey. My 2015 win-a-trip winner, Austin Meyer of Stanford University, has made a terrific podcast of his time with a former drug dealer who’s trying to turn his life around – and a first-rate program helping him do just that. It’s well worth a listen! |
| And if you missed the Angola video I did with Adam Ellick – about corruption causing the deaths of tens of thousands of children – then check it out! It had a huge response, and I’m sure Angola’s president and his billionaire daughter are squirming. As they should! |
| Read my Sunday column in defense of religious aid workers – and highlighting the incredible Dr. Tom, a surgeon undeterred by bombings. » |
|
Follow Us!