Hunter (Patch) ADAMS Chart
Born May 28, 1945 at 8:15 PM in Washington
(DC) (USA)
Hunter Campbell "Patch" Adams (born May 28, 1945 in Washington,
District of Columbia) founded the Gesundheit! Institute in 1972.Patch
Adams is 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
Peninsula countries torn apart by the war that started after the break-up
of Yugoslavia.His life was the template for the plot of the movie Patch
Adams, starring Robin Williams. Adams is currently based in Arlington,
Virginia, where he promotes alternative health care in collaboration with
the institute.
Early career
After attending Wakefield High School in 1963, Patch Adams completed pre-med
coursework at the George Washington University. He began medical school
without an undergraduate degree, and earned his Doctor of Medicine degree
at the Medical College of Virginia, Health Sciences Division of Virginia
Commonwealth University in 1973. In the late 60's, a girlfriend of his
was murdered. Convinced of the powerful connection between environment
and wellness, he believes the health of an individual cannot be separated
from the health of the family, community, and the world. While working
in an adolescent clinic at MCV his final year of med school he meet Linda
Edquist, a volunteer in the clinic and student at VCU. Soon after graduation,
Patch, Linda and friends founded the Gesundheit! Institute (orginially
known to many as the Zanies), which ran as a free community hospital for
12 years. He and Linda later would have two children and separated in
1997. The eldest, Atomic Zagnut Adams, was given a name indicative of
Patch and his close friend Leo's personal laugh with life. His younger
son's name is Lars Zig Edquist Adams, lives between his two parents and
he is currently a student at Guilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Gesundheit! Institute
A revamped Gesundheit! Institute, envisioned as a free, full-scale hospital
and health care eco-community, is planned on 316 acres in Pocahontas County
in West Virginia. Its goal is to integrate a traditional hospital with
alternative medicine--acupuncture, homeopathy, etc. Care will combine
integrative medicine with performing arts, crafts, nature, agriculture,
and recreation. The West Virginia location accepts seasonal volunteers
through the website. The new hospital has not been built as Patch continues
to seek funding. The current caretaker staff at the West Virginia land
is actively developing educational programs in sustainable systems design
targeted to medical students, university alternative break groups, and
the general public. Several videos and books have also been produced including
Patch Adams.Since the 1990s Adams has supported the Ithaca Health Alliance
(IHA), originally founded as the Ithaca Health Fund (IHF) by Paul Glover.
In January 2006 IHA launched the Ithaca Free Clinic, bringing to life
key aspects of Adams' vision. Patch Adams has also given strong praise
to Health Democracy, a book written and published the same year.Source
: Wikipedia
Source : Wikipedia
