July 3, 2003

Fore: The Durant Fellowship golf tournament tees off

MGHers were in full swing June 16 at this year's annual Thomas S. Durant, MD, Golf Tournament, held at the Oyster Harbors Club in Osterville, Mass. The tournament is held to honor the beloved MGH physician and his legacy of helping those less fortunate from around the world.

The tournament raised more than $50,000 for the Thomas S. Durant Fellowship for Refugee Medicine program, which sponsors health care professionals to serve refugee populations and victims of humanitarian and natural disasters.

Throughout his lifetime, Durant traveled to some of the world's most troubled places to bring food, supplies and medical expertise to refugees in war-ravaged countries.The fellowship was created in honor of Durant, who served as assistant director of the MGH for more than 30 years.

This year's tournament featured many MGH players — including Peter L. Slavin, MD, president of the MGH; David Torchiana, MD, chairman and CEO of the Massachusetts General Physicians Organization; and Laurence Ronan, MD, of MGH Internal Medicine Associates and director of the Durant Fellowship.

"Many of the golfers today knew Dr. Durant personally and probably were helped by him at one time or another," says Ronan. "Their participation and generous financial contributions to our fellowship allows the MGH to continue Dr. Durant's extraordinary legacy. He served as an inspiration to all of us with his humanitarian work. The fellowship celebrates Dr. Durant's life and contributions by placing MGH health care workers in refugee camps where they are most needed."