Patch Adams
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Hunter "Patch" Adams (born May 28, 1945 in Washington, District of Columbia) founded the Gesundheit Institute in 1972. His life was the template for the plot of the movie Patch Adams with Robin Williams as the leading actor. Adams is currently based in Arlington, Virginia, where he promotes alternative health care in collaboration with the institute.
Patch Adams is also a social activist, citizen diplomat, professional clown, performer and author. Each year he organizes a group of volunteers from around the world to travel to Russia as clowns, to bring hope and joy to orphans, patients, and the people. In 1998 he also visited Bosnia, one of the Balkan Pensinsula countries torn apart by the war that started after breakdown of Yugoslavia.
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Early career
Patch Adams was graduated to Doctor of Medicine from the Medical College of Virginia, Health Sciences Division of Virginia Commonwealth University in 1971, convinced of the powerful connection between environment and wellness. He holds the belief that the health of an individual cannot be separated from the health of the family, community, and the world. In consequence, Patch and some friends founded the Gesundheit Institute, which ran as a free community hospital for 12 years.
Gesundheit Institute
A revamped Gesundheit Institute, envisioned as a free, full-scale hospital and health care eco-community, is planned in West Virginia. Its goal is to integrate a traditional hospital with alternative medicine--acupuncture, homeopathy, etc. Care will integrate medicine with performing arts, crafts, nature, agriculture, and recreation. The current location accepts volunteers through the website for the summer months. No hospital is yet in existence, although some outreach is done (at a local women's prison and a small hospital). Several videos and books have been produced, both of which are found on the website.
Patch offers to examine the head of the U.S. President
Among the causes championed by Adams, since 1992, is that of MindFreedom International, which unites 100 advocacy groups united in efforts to win campaigns for human rights of people diagnosed with psychiatric disabilities. Adams has taken a leading role on behalf of the coalition in its campaign to thwart President George W. Bush's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health.
"One of the main goals of the President's New Freedom Commission is to ensure 'Early mental health screening, assessment, and referral to services are common practice,' said its director, David Oaks, adding, 'President Bush wants to test all Americans for "mental illness".' Adams has responded by volunteering to screen President Bush, 'He needs a lot of help. I'll see him for free.'"
Miscellaneous
Harristown State High School (Queensland, Australia) competed in the 2005 Rockeistedfod Challenge with their theme being the life of Patch Adams. The piece titled 'Laughter is the best Medicine' came first in the Queensland Final.
Patch Adams will appear at the Holistic World Expo 2006 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, Canada on March 18 as the keynote speaker.
External links
- MindFreedom.org - 'President Bush and the Shrinking of the USA: Coalition of Advocacy Groups Says: "Start With the Top. Test President Bush for 'Mental Illness' First: "The "Real" Patch Adams Volunteers' (press release), MindFreedom.org, (August 16, 2004)
- PatchAdams.org - Patch Adams
- Holistic World.org- Holistic World Expode:Patch Adams
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