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TAIM Chapter Awards
Texas Chapter Laureates
Volunteerism and Community Service Awards
GIMSPP Decade of Service Award
TAIMS Advocate of the Year Award
TAIMS Legislative Champion
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Mohamed H. Haq, MD, FACP

Mohamed H. Haq started his practice of medical oncology in the South East Harris County area after completing a fellowship at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in 1980. He immediately became involved in the local chapter of American Cancer Society. He participated in community education, screening programs and fundraisers. He also served in various leadership positions for the Cancer Society. In 1984, he received the sword of hope award from the Cancer Society.

Dr. Haq has been closely involved with The Rose, a well known nonprofit breast cancer diagnostic institution in the Houston area since its inception. It provides diagnostic and limited treatment services to women with breast cancer who lack resources and do not qualify for federal, state or county health benefits. He serves on its advisory board and on the medical steering committee. He provided free chemotherapy administration, after obtaining free medications from the pharmaceutical companies. This eventually led to a grant from Komen foundation to The Rose to obtain drugs for these women, and he helped recruit several other physicians to volunteer in this program helping one or two women a year. He was a recognized by Macy’s for this work with the Heart and Soul award in 2004. He continues to provide this service.

Most recently he has been involved with Shifa Foundation and Shifa clinics in the greater Houston area. Initially this was started by a group of Muslim physicians as a free clinic. This has grown to be a full-fledged nonprofit organization running four clinics. Dr. Haq raised funds to establish one of these clinics in the South East Harris County area and serves as its coordinator. The clinic provides free general medical care, free immunizations, lab and pap smears at cost (5-10 dollars). Based on his experience establishing the free clinic, he’s in the process of completing a web-based book, which would be freely available to everyone, is on how to establish charity clinics especially addressing the concerns of legal and malpractice issues for the volunteer physicians.

He also has been the chairman of the Public Health Committee of the Islamic Medical Association of North America for the last two years. Under his leadership a vigorous effort is being made to make all Islamic campuses in North America smoke free.

Besides having a busy practice and volunteer commitments he still continues to be involved in clinical research. His most recent publication was on Breast Cancer in Muslim Countries; Strategies for Risk Reduction, published in 2009.

He is a graduate of Osmania Medical College in India, happily married with his wife, who plays an active role in management of the Charity Clinic. He has three children, two of whom are in the medical profession, a resident and medical student.

On behalf of his many friends, colleagues, and patients, TXACP is proud to name Mohamed Haq, MD, FACP, as the 2009 recipient of the Texas Volunteerism and Community Service Award.

Fred Campbell, MD, FACP

Fred Campbell, a Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio and Fellow of the American College of Physicians, has had a clinical practice in San Antonio for two decades.

He is also a staff internist and board member of Community Medicine Associates, and a former Medical Director of the Southwest Medical Group.

Beginning in 1985, Dr. Campbell donated one morning per week to practice in the community-based Wesley Clinic on San Antonio’s economically depressed south side. Until 2003, he continued his weekly clinic at the Wesley as well as the El Carmen and La Misión clinics. He served on the Board of Directors of the Wesley Clinic from 1996-2000.

Beginning in 1989 and continuing to the present, he has participated in and directed medical missions to northern Mexico, twice yearly, under the sponsorship of Methodist Health Care Ministries. These consist of two full days of primary patient care in which he is joined by physician, dentist, and medical student volunteers. He has completed almost 40 trips over this time span.

Between 1989 and 1995, Dr. Campbell took time from his practice to perform summer locum tenens stints every other year in USPHS Indian Health Service facilities. These consisted of two-week visits under the AMA’s Project USA program. For over 10 years, he has also served as a volunteer advocate for Child Advocates of San Antonio. This program evaluates the circumstances of abused children and their families, and assists the courts in making informed judgments on behalf of the child. He and his wife assist two families annually in this way.

Dr. Campbell has taken leadership positions in non-profit organizations that provide health services to persons in need. He served on the Board of Directors of Planned Parenthood of San Antonio and South Central Texas between 1997 and 2005, including chairing the board for two years. In 2001 he was honored by Planned Parenthood for his achievements with a major planned function, and in 2004 he received its Volunteer of the Year Award. Last year he received the Bishop Ernest T. Dixon Award, which was celebrated at a service and following reception at Travis Park United Methodist Church. He has served on the Board of Directors of Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas for 7 years. Methodist Healthcare Ministries is a large charitable foundation that disburses grants totaling over $25 million annually for health services in south Texas. Among these are programs for teenage parents, medical and dental services at the Wesley Clinic, and the Wesley parish nurse program. Currently he serves as the board president of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice Texas Affiliate.

Dr. Campbell has been a lecturer in medical economics and ethics at UTHSCSA since 1999 and currently teaches third-year clinical clerkships in Medicine and Advanced Cardiac Support. He mentors students with Frontera de Salud, serves as a member of the School of Medicine Admissions Committee, and was a contributor to the book Physician Empowerment Through Capitation. Raised in Waco, he received his undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University before graduating from Baylor College of Medicine with a MD in 1976.

When Dr. Campbell is not working or volunteering, he enjoys spending time with his two grandchildren, traveling, scuba diving and fishing.

On behalf of his many friends, colleagues, and patients, TAIM is proud to name Fred Campbell, MD, FACP, as the 2008 recipient of the Texas Volunteerism and Community Service Award.

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Thomas McHorse, MD

Tom S. McHorse, MD, has done much to ensure good health care for the poor in Travis County for three decades. Dr. McHorse began his volunteer service in Nashville, Tennessee, when he worked at a street clinic during his residency at Vanderbilt University before moving to Austin in the mid-1970s.

He has served at the Volunteer Healthcare Clinic, previously known as the Caritas Clinic, in Austin since 1976. The clinic is open three nights a week and sees an average 5,500 patients a year. For the last 14 years he has been the clinic’s medical director, helping the executive director get appropriate referrals for patients and reviewing the credentials of volunteer physicians.

Much of the clinic’s work laid the foundation for the Project Access, a six-year-old coordinated system of volunteer physician care, hospital care, diagnostic services and medications assistance for low-income, uninsured residents of Travis County. Dr. McHorse chairs the project’s executive committee and was named Physician of the Year by the Travis County Medical Society (TCMS) four years ago. Past president of the medical society, he received the Jordan Award for Community Service in 2002.

A member of Tarrytown Methodist Church since coming to Austin, Dr. McHorse says his family’s support has been crucial in getting so much accomplished in indigent care. Volunteerism runs in the family. Spouse Kay has been recognized as Volunteer of the Year by the Junior League and their three adult sons participate in charity work as well. On behalf of his many friends, colleagues, and patients, TAIM is proud to name Thomas McHorse, MD, as the 2008 recipient of the Texas Volunteerism and Community Service Award.

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Richard A. Jackson, MD, FACP

Richard Jackson was born in New Orleans and raised in Houston.He attended Washington University in St. Louis, where he graduated with a bachelor’sdegree in zoology. He went on to obtain his master’s degree in biochemistryat Baylor College of Medicine and received his medical degree from UT Southwestern.He completed his internship at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago and his residencyat Baylor Affiliated Hospitals. As a major in the U.S. Air Force, Dr. Jackson served as chief of internal medicine at Tachikawa Hospital in Tokyo.

Richard A. Jackson, MD, FACP
JACKSON

Dr. Jackson and his wife, Sandra, returned to Texas in 1976 andjoined his father, Daniel Jackson, MD, in the practice of internal medicine.He continues to actively practice general internal medicine. Dr. Jackson isa Fellow of the ACP and has been named in the Best Doctors in America since 1997. He enjoys teaching residents, medical students, and advanced nurse practitioners.

After his brother Robert E. Jackson, MD, FACP, joined him in practice in 1985, Dr. Jackson became interested in providing health care for indigent Hispanics in Houston. He volunteered on Sundays to see patients in Eastwood Health Clinic and took a medical Spanish course to allow him to converse with his patients. Eastwood recognized him for a decade of medical service.

In 2001, Dr. Jackson joined the board of the Emergency Aid Coalition,a group of 14 congregations in midtown Houston that feed the homeless and indigent.Hehas had a satisfying experience as a board member and now as president.

In2004, he discovered a friend, Dr. Edward C. Murphy, Houston, had organizeda mission group to Peru. He joined Texas Medical Misión and discoveredthe mission idea was twofold: to provide direct patient care for 60,000 ofthe extremely poor in Manchay, Peru, and to send a container with medical suppliesto the Hospital Dos De Mayo in Lima for the 8 million people it serves.

After networking with drug companies, individuals and community action groups,he helped implement the sending of a container filled with $400,000 worth of supplies. In 2006, he helped lead a mission team of 14 doctors, nurses and students who spent six days working in the hospital and seeing 600-700 people in the clinic and throughout the city in makeshift clinics.

In addition to this most recent project, Dr. Jackson has served on many volunteer boards. For many years,he was on the board of directors of Houston CommunityVoicemail, a voice messaging service for the homeless. He served as chairof the Social Action Committee at his congregation, and as a member ofthe boardof trustees of Congregation Emanuel. He actively participates in a MitzvahDay, a special community service event in November.

On behalf of his many friends, colleagues, and patients, TAIM is proud to name Richard A. Jackson, MD, FACP, as the 2006 recipient of the Texas Volunteerism and Community Service Award.

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Rafael A. Rodriguez, MD

Dr. Rafael Rodríguez was born in the Dominican Republic.He attended Instituto Techologico de Santo Domingo from 1982 to 1987. Whilethere and prior to medical school, he volunteered as director of an immunizationcampaign and was involved in CARE projects to obtain food for the poor of that area.

Rafael A. Rodriguez, MD
RODRIGUEZ

He then went on to his medical training and residency, completinga year of surgery and another of urology. He served as a general practitionerwith CONANI, the Children’s National Council of the Dominican Republic.In 1993, he was accepted into an internal medicine residency at St. Barnabas Hospital in New York. He was named resident of the year in 1995.

Dr. Rodriguezbegan working in Weslaco with Julio Lopez, MD, in 1996. In 1998, he went intosolo practice. He later accepted an interim appointment as medical director of Knapp Medical Center Hospice Care Services in Weslaco. In a short time, he turned the service into a profitable entity.

This work spurred him totake courses in hospice and palliative care, eventually becoming board-certifiedby the American Board of Hospice and Palliative Care. He brought this information back to Knapp and changed the way pain management was done there. He took great personal care of hospice patients and visited many of them at home.

Dr. Rodriguez kept busy at other endeavors, as well. He waschair of the Knapp Medical Center Journal Club and served as a speaker forthe Knapp’s Department of Education and the Diabetic Center. Dr. Rodriguez also served as chief of medicine in 2000-2002 and chief of the medical staff in 2003-2004.

While visiting a patient’shome, Dr. Rodriguez mentioned his dream of the Aurora House, a place he envisionedto house the terminally ill who had no goodplace to die. The patient’s offer of an acre of land on which to buildthe hospice further fueled Dr. Rodriguez’ dream.

To quote Dr. Rodriguez, “Thisidea started because of the necessity of a place where people of the Mid-ValleyArea can die with peace and dignity. Weneeded a place where friends and families could visit patients, keeping themfrom feeling abandoned.”

Dr. Rodriguez was able to inspire many communitymembers with his passion for the project and solicit their help. He contactedother physicians, businessmensuch as concrete suppliers, telecommunications personnel, contractors, andthe state representative. Dr. Rodriguez and his wife visited several possiblesitesand homes.

Dr. Rodriguez’ wife, Delyssa, finally found a home forsale on the Internet that, with some modifications, could work. Aurora Househadits grand openingin August, and the project thrives, thanks to the goodwill of residents, families,and community and charitable organizations.

Dr. Rodriguez recently moved toMesquite to continue his endeavors in hospice and palliative care. He has lefta great legacy and continues to attend AuroraHouse board meetings.

In addition to his professional endeavors, Dr. Rodriguezis the proud father of Zoe, age 2, and Ava, age 2 months.

Dr. Rodriguez’ careeris young, and we, his colleagues and friends, join in recognizing his outstandingachievements thus far with the Texas Volunteerismand Community Service Award. We hope his passion and vision continues to growas he fulfills his life’s work.

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Ted Nicklaus, MD, FACP

Ted Nicklaus was born and raised in Amarillo, Texas. He attended Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, where he graduated with a B.A. in English. He went on to obtain his M.D. from Columbia University in New York City. His internship and residency were served at University of Utah in Salt Lake City, where he became Chief Resident in 1964, and also completed a Pulmonary Fellowship. Dr. Nicklaus then served as Chief of Pulmonary Disease at Brooke General Hospital at Fort Sam Houston for two years.

mugshot: Ted Nicklaus, MD, FACP
NICKLAUS

Dr. Nicklaus returned to the Texas panhandle in 1968, and joined the long-standing practice of Dr. Clay Dine. He actively practiced general and pulmonary medicine until 1996 when he left the practice to concentrate on geriatrics. He is board certified (and has recertified twice!) in internal medicine, pulmonary medicine, and geriatrics, as well as being a Certified Medical Director. Dr. Nicklaus is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and the American College of Chest Physicians. Dr. Nicklaus received the Texas Chapter ACP Laureate Award in 1994.

In his role as geriatrician, Dr Nicklaus has served as Medical Director for several nursing homes in Amarillo. He established the first Senior Health Center in Amarillo and was instrumental in establishing the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) clinic at Jan Werner Day Care Center, a comprehensive medical program for the medically fragile senior.

Over the past year, Dr. Nicklaus has focused on launching the Golden Stars Program at Polk Street United Methodist Church in Amarillo. With selfless dedication, passion and leadership, Dr. Nicklaus expanded the existing elder visitation program to incorporate a much-needed parish nurse program. A licensed nurse is now able to see patients at the church, as well as make visits to homebound patients. The nurse can monitor blood pressure, contact the patient¹s physician to help clarify medical questions, arrange appointments, and even help the patients with insurance forms and access to medical resources. Dr. Nicklaus has treated patients in the program, recruited volunteers, and gathered donations to build and maintain the program. The Golden Stars program hopes to serve as a model for other churches and community organizations and broaden their services to include any senior in need of assistance in Amarillo.

In addition to this most recent project, Dr. Nicklaus has served on many volunteer boards. For many years he was on the board of directors, and eventually served as president, of the Amarillo Independent School District. He also served for nine years and was president of the Amarillo Area Foundation, a major private charitable organization serving the 26 counties of the Texas panhandle. Dr. Nicklaus was on the board and president of Jan Werner Adult Day Care Center for ten years. He served as the liaison physician for the Texas Medical Directors Association and the Texas Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (TAHSA), receiving their distinguished service award in 2005. He was Chairman of the shared Long Term Care Ethics Committee for TAHSA nursing homes in Amarillo. He has also served on the Panhandle Regional Advisory Council for the Texas Department of Human Services. And finally, for the past ten years he has been the developer and coordinator of the Amarillo Lay School of Theology.

On behalf of his many friends, colleagues, and patients, the Texas Academy of Internal Medicine-American College of Physicians is proud to name Ted Nicklaus, MD, FACP, as the 2005 recipient of the Texas Volunteerism and Community Service Award.

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Joslyn B.Weiner Fisher, MD

Doctor Joey Weiner was raised in Houston, Texas, then attended Tufts University where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in Community Health. After graduation from college, she spent 9 months in Asia including 6 months in rural India working with a development agency on health-related issues such as maternal and child health, and safe drinking water. Upon her return to the U.S., she earned her medical degree and completed residency in Internal Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. In June 1998, she won the Eli Lilly Humanistic Award for residents in the Department of Medicine as well as the Outstanding Resident Award from the Houston Society of Internal Medicine.

mugshot: Joslyn B.Weiner
            Fisher, MD
WEINER

Dr. Weiner was invited to remain as faculty upon completion of her residency, and is now an Assistant Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. In addition, she practices Internal Medicine at Ben Taub General Hospital, a public hospital serving Harris County's poor and indigent population.

Soon after starting at Ben Taub General Hospital teaching in the Section of General Medicine in 1998, she recognized the need for a coordinated response to domestic violence survivors presenting to Harris County Hospital District facilities. She founded and now directs the Volunteer Initiative vs. Violent Acts (V.I.V.A.) Project, an interdisciplinary team striving to improve the health, safety, and well-being of victims through education of health-care providers, coordination of internal resources, and collaboration with community agencies. Over 1,000 health-care personnel have received information on the medical consequences of domestic violence and what health-care professionals can do to intervene. She and the VIVA team share responsibilities in carrying a round-the-clock consult pager to respond to health-care providers' questions regarding management of domestic violence cases.

Dr. Weiner staffs the VIVA Clinic, a unique, multidisciplinary 1/2-day clinic each week, which provides follow-up care for patients who have experienced domestic violence. The clinic includes medical, psychiatric, and social services for patients. Each week a domestic violence advocate from a local domestic violence center aids with safety planning and accessing resources for patients in the clinic. The VIVA clinic also serves as a training opportunity for approximately 40 third-year medical students and 2 psychiatry residents each year.

In the past year, this new clinic has received several hundred referrals from both within the hospital and from outside agencies (e.g., domestic violence shelters, adult protective services, and the District Attorney's Victims Assistance Office), and has provided care for over 100 domestic violence survivors. In October 2000, the VIVA Project received the Innovative Program in Health Care Award from the Texas Society for Social Work Leadership in Health Care. Dr. Weiner received the Bridge Over Troubled Water's Annual Medical Civic Award in January 2002 for her work with the clients of the Bridge (an agency for survivors of domestic violence). Most recently, Dr. Weiner co-founded and co-chairs the Women's Health Network, an organization in the greater Houston area designed to foster interdisciplinary, inter-institutional collaborations for women's health research and programming.

Dr. Weiner also serves on the boards of Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse (AVDA), Houston Area Women's Center, Harris County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council, and Texans for Gun Safety. She is currently working with AVDA to review their program services, the Houston Area Women's Center to establish a shelter clinic for the women who reside there, and Texans for Gun Safety to develop a Speaker's Bureau and community outreach program.

We join many of Dr. Weiner's colleagues, patients, and volunteers in recognizing her unfailing and compassionate dedication to eradicating domestic violence. The Texas Chapter of the ACP-ASIM is proud to name Dr. Weiner as a recipient of the Texas Chapter Volunteerism and Community Service Award.

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Frederick M. Zaunbrecher, MD

Doctor Frederick M. Zaunbrecher was born in Lafayette, Louisiana, and spent a significant period at his hometown of Rayne, La., where his grandfather was a horse and buggy country doctor. Seeing his grandfather's devotion and love for his patients was a major inspiration and determining factor in his choice of vocation. After graduation from high school in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he joined the Army Security Agency as an intelligence operator and teacher of Special Forces advisors assigned to Viet Nam. He completed pre-medical studies at the University of Southwest Louisiana in Lafayette, and his medical education and Internal Medicine residency at Louisiana State University (LSU) and Charity Hospital in New Orleans. In 1975, he and his family moved to Galveston for a pulmonary fellowship at The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB). Board Certification in Internal Medicine and Pulmonary Medicine followed.

mugshot: Frederick M.
            Zaunbrecher, MD
ZAUNBRECHER

Dr. Zaunbrecher joined Internal Medicine Associates of Galveston in 1977, and later co-founded the Gulf Coast Medical Group, serving as its charter chairman of the board. In 1997, after 20 years of private practice, he joined the full time faculty at UTMB, where he currently holds a position of Clinical Professor of Medicine.

He is a longtime member of the American Society of Internal Medicine, American College of Physicians, American Medical Association and Texas Medical Association, along with his County Medical Society. He participated in the Texas Society of Internal Medicine's preceptorship program from 1992 through 1998, for which he received the ACP-ASIM award in Recognition of Participation in Ambulatory Teaching.

His primary hospital affiliation was with St. Mary's Hospital of Galveston from 1977 through its closure in the late 1990s. He served there as medical director of cardiovascular services and the respiratory department, president of the medical staff, and chairman of numerous medical staff committees. He also served as a director of the Houston Metropolitan Health Network physician-hospital organization.

Dr. Zaunbrecaher is a founding member of Immanuel Baptist Church and co-founder of The Luke Society, Inc. He has served in leadership positions for the American Lung Association, William Temple Foundation, Galveston Chamber of Commerce, Gideons, Transitional Housing Task Force, and Advisory Committee of the Jesse Tree.

He is married to Michele Zaunbrecher, his life partner and source of inspiration for thirty years this December. They have raised their three boys in Galveston.

In 1980, Rev. Eddie Tubbs, Director of UTMB's Baptist Student Union, approached Dr. Zaunbrecher to develop a medical mission trip taking 25 doctors and other health care professionals to Juarez, Mexico, for a week. The following year the Zaunbrechers and Tubbs created The Luke Society, Inc., a charitable foundation, to ensure that the medical mission would continue for years to come. The three mission statements defined in its charter are demonstration of God's love through health care, highlighting the health care needs of the poor in a community, and role modeling for health-care students, professionals and other volunteers. He served as its charter chairman and president until 1988 and continues to serve as medical director and treasurer. The missions to Mexico continued until 1996, with up to 80 members making up eight physician-led medical teams.

In 1995 he and Michele developed a weekly noontime clinic to address the great need for medical care among the growing population of homeless in Galveston. With the support of the Luke Society, they began driving their van full of medicine to a downtown parking lot where free meals were served to the homeless each Saturday morning. The Luke Society changed its focus to the local poor instead of the Mexican poor. The number of patients has grown from eight to an average of 50 each week. Physicians provide patients with evaluation and treatment, screening for tuberculosis, and immunizations, coordinating care with other charitable organizations and public health agencies.

The work of the Luke Society is accomplished entirely through devoted volunteers and contributors, including pharmacists, physicians, nurses, lawyers, accountants, and others. Since the first mission, there have been 25,000 patient encounters in Mexico and over 12,000 in Galveston. All of the care is provided free of charge, thanks to generous contributors. Many hundreds of health-care professionals have experienced the joy of volunteerism, the needs of the homeless have been demonstrated to the entire community, and thousands of modern day lepers know that God loves them.

Dr. Zaunbrecher's professional career spans a quarter century of private and public care, administrative medicine, and community service. He maintains his joy in his profession through one on one, personal contact with people in need, and most of all with those patients who are the most vulnerable in our society.
On behalf of his many friends, colleagues, and the thousands of patients who have been the recipient of his generous spirit and benevolent care, the Texas Chapter of the ACP-ASIM is proud to name Dr. Zaunbrecher as a recipient of the Texas Chapter Volunteerism and Community Service Award.

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Edith Irby Jones, MD

Dr. Edith Irby Jones was born near Conway, Arkansas, and lived her early years in nearby Hot Springs. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry, Biology, and Physics at Knoxville College, Knoxville, Tennessee, where her childhood dreams of becoming a physician were nurtured and pursued. Prior to entering medical school she also studied clinical psychology at Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois.

mugshot: Edith Irby Jones, MD
JONES

In 1952, Dr. Jones was awarded the Doctor of Medicine degree by the University of Arkansas School of Medicine, becoming its first black graduate. After an internship in Pediatrics, she returned to Hot Springs where she practiced general medicine until her keen interest in adult medicine led her and her family to Houston, where she completed her training in Internal Medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine.

In 1986, at the invitation of the Haitian government, she led a fourteen member U.S. Task Force on Health to Haiti to observe the medical and healthcare infrastructure, and highlight problems and potential solutions in that tiny impoverished Caribbean nation. The task force reported to the U.S. State Department and to the President of the United States that the status of medical and healthcare in Haiti was indeed deplorable. Trained medical personnel were in short supply; buildings obsolete; equipment scarce and outdated; supplies inadequate and facilities overcrowded.

Upon her return home, the idea was born to create a health facility in the town of Vaudreuil to provide adult, pediatric, dental and obstetrical care. Dr. Jones returned to Haiti several times over the next few years to build community and governmental support for establishment of a clinic, and chaired Health Education Learning Projects, Inc., the non-profit organization under whose auspices the clinic would be established. In recognition of her tireless efforts, the clinic was officially dedicated and opened in 1992 as the Edith Irby Jones Health Clinic. Her involvement with the clinic continues today as she visits Haiti four to five times a year to provide direct medical care in the clinic, and enhance governmental and foundation support.

Dr. Jones is also passionate about the Edith Irby Jones Foundation, established in the early 1990s, to provide scholarships for aspiring college and graduate students. As the recipient of generous scholarship assistance during medical school and college, she is mindful of the financial barriers that can prevent talented young men and women, without significant means, from realizing their dreams of careers in medicine, the sciences, business, and the arts.

In a remarkable medical career practicing general internal medicine in inner city Houston, Edy, as she is known to her friends and colleagues, has been widely recognized locally, nationally and internationally for her steadfast and passionate involvement in numerous charitable, civic and social service organizations over her long and illustrious career. As the first woman president of the 15,000 member National Medical Association (NMA), she brought her message of service and caring to the halls of Congress and from coast to coast. For this and a number of other contributions to medicine and community, she was recognized as the 1988 Internist of the Year by the American Society of Internal Medicine.

When asked, Edy articulates her philosophy of service in this way. "When we give of ourselves unselfishly, we receive our blessings in multiples. Therefore, if for no other reason than to provide for the safety and well being of our loved ones, which is most basic, we have no alternative but to help our fellow man. Without regard for your individual belief system or religious denomination, it is the wish of the creator, and the way the universe works, so it must become the nature of man. We have no other sensible choice."

We join many others both near and far in honoring the life and work of Dr. Edith Irby Jones - internist, educator, philanthropist, scholar, committed servant, and change agent - as the recipient of the Texas Academy of Internal Medicine's first ever Chapter Volunteerism and Community Service Award.


 

 
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