June 8, 2007

2007 Durant Fellows chosen

The late Thomas S. Durant, MD, former assistant director of the MGH, was a true humanitarian. He spent much of his medical career in places such as Cambodia, Honduras, Bosnia, Rwanda and Afghanistan, bringing healing and hope to populations victimized by war or natural disaster. Since his death from cancer in 2001, his life's work and spirit of compassion have come to comprise a celebrated legacy — the Thomas S. Durant, MD, Fellowship in Refugee Medicine. This fellowship provides funding for MGHers to serve refugee or underserved populations with medical care and support.

This year, three MGH nurses have been selected as the fifth annual recipients of the fellowship: Betsy Baumgartner, RN; Jennifer T. Brock, RN, BSN, NDc; and Heather M. Szymczak, RN. Szymczak, a staff nurse on Phillips 22, has been involved in international relief work since the age of 15. She plans to spend nine months in Latin America practicing primary care and providing education with a focus on obstetric health and HIV/AIDS. The goal of her trip is to improve access to primary heath care for the indigenous population.

Baumgartner, who works on Bigelow 14 in Vascular Surgery, plans to spend her Durant Fellowship working with patients suffering from tropical diseases and HIV/AIDS. She says, "In this world, where you're born determines what kind of life you'll live, and it shouldn't have to be that way."

A graduate of the Peace Corps, Brock also is no stranger to relief work. She works on Ellison 14 in the Bone Marrow Transplant/Inpatient Oncology Unit and is currently a candidate for a Doctor of Nursing degree at the University of Colorado.
Says Laurence Ronan, MD, director of the Durant Fellowship, "In addition
to helping those who most need assistance, these nurses will honor the memory
of Dr. Durant through their relief efforts. The MGH is proud to provide this opportunity. We congratulate Betsy, Jennifer and Heather and wish them luck and strength in their journeys."

For more information, visit www.durantfellowship.org.

Back row, from left, Donna Perry, RN; Brock and Ronan; Front row, from left, Baumgartner and Szymczak