“Two words describe this doctor-to-the-world: inspired and inspiring. Glenn Geelhoed is a role model for patients and peers alike.” —John P. Howe III, MD, president and CEO, Project HOPE
Glenn W. Geelhoed is a Fulbright
Scholar, past president of the Washington Academy of Surgeons, an inductee of the Academie de Chirurgie de Paris, the 2006 recipient of the GWU Medical Center’s Faculty Distinguished Service Award, and in fall 2009 received the American College of Surgeons’ Volunteerism Award for International Outreach.
Patricia Edmonds
—LaMar S. McGinnis Jr., MD, FACS, president, American College of Surgeons, and past president, American Cancer Society “True to the literal meaning of ‘doctor’ (teacher), Glenn Geelhoed’s influence will extend down through generations to come, through the legacy of his work and this book.” —Andrew L. Warshaw, MD, professor of surgery, Harvard Medical School; surgeon-in-chief, Massachusetts General Hospital; founder, Operation Giving Back, American College of Surgeons “ When I came to the United States as a ‘Lost Boy’ fleeing war-torn Sudan, I learned how generous Americans can be to people in great need . . . Glenn Geelhoed gave tirelessly of his talent and knowledge . . . As I have been privileged to know him in life, fortunate readers now may know him through this wise, inspiring book.” —John Bul Dau, author of the memoir and subject of the documentary God Grew Tired of Us, a Grand Jury Prize Winner at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival
—LaSalle D. Leffall Jr., MD, FACS, dean emeritus, Howard University School of Medicine, and author of No Boundaries: A Cancer Surgeon’s Odyssey
www.missiontoheal.org Cover design by Greenleaf Book Group LLC Printed in the United States of America
GREENLEAF BOOK GROUP PRESS www.gbgpress.com
$24.95 Biography/Medical
Dr. Glenn W. Geelhoed
“From the stories Glenn shares in this compelling book, we can begin to learn what he has learned about the indomitability of the human spirit, and the power of each individual to shape a better world.”
with Patricia Edmonds
Veteran writer has worked and consulted in the fields of journalism and communications for more than three decades. In addition to partnering with authors on book projects, Patty has held key positions in newspaper, magazine and online media organizations including NPR.org and USA Today. She lives with her family in the Washington, D.C., area.
“ When the American College of Surgeons presented Dr. Glenn Geelhoed with its Surgical Volunteerism Award for International Outreach, we honored one man’s unflagging commitment to providing surgical care and education throughout the world . . . Glenn’s story is an invitation to engaged global citizenship and a testament to the power of humanitarianism in action.”
gifts from the poor
Travel with one of America’s most unconventional medical adventurers as he heals a wounded world
$24.95 Biography/Medical
Introduction by Greg Mortenson, New York Times bestselling coauthor of Three Cups of Tea
Gifts
Poor from the
What the World’s Patients Taught One Doctor About Healing
DR . GLENN W. GEELHOED with Patricia Edmonds
F
or more than four decades, surgeon and educator Glenn Geelhoed has taken medical missions to the poorest parts of the globe to treat patients at no cost and train locals to dispense care. Drawn from indelible memories, personal papers, and Geelhoed’s daily journals, Gifts from the Poor takes readers along on his journey. Whether he is stitching wounds, delivering babies, mentoring younger colleagues, or challenging destructive cultural practices, Geelhoed constantly discovers the power and dignity of each individual. From solid, Midwestern beginnings, Geelhoed developed a profound drive to explore the world. What he found both thrilled and goaded him, and shaped a career in which he jousted with medical establishments, confronted corruption, and followed his own instincts. Geelhoed exposes the true mechanics of foreign medical aid and development and proposes game-changing alternatives to the status quo. Most of all, he advocates an upside-down approach to international medical service, in which the educated healer gathers a wealth of wisdom from the poorest patients. A self-described “hunter-gatherer” whose interests range far beyond his profession, Geelhoed takes readers outside the medical tent to experience adventures in some of the world’s harshest environments. His exploits as a marathon runner, photographer, and hunter add an unexpected dimension to his portraits of life on the edge. An inspiring tale of compassion, conviction and grit, Gifts from the Poor is Geelhoed’s invitation to join him in healing a wounded world. His determination and energy will empower you in your own life’s journey. All proceeds to be donated to the Medical Mission Hall of Fame Foundation.