When President Barack Obama nominated Dr. Regina Benjamin for the post of Surgeon General, there was considerable reason to be impressed with the credentials. The rural Alabama doctor won a MacArthur Foundation "genius grant" last year, became the first black woman to be president of a state medical society and the first black woman and the youngest doctor elected to the American Medical Association's board, etc. etc.. But this little-reported biographical data point from Dr. Benjamin's remarks at the White House were most impressive:
Public health issues are very personal to me. My father died with diabetes and hypertension. My older brother, and only sibling, died at age 44 of HIV-related illness. My mother died of lung cancer, because as a young girl, she wanted to smoke just like her twin brother could. My Uncle Buddy, my mother's twin, who's one of the few surviving black World War II prisoners of war, is at home right now, on oxygen, struggling for each breath because of the years of smoking.
Very promising that the next Surgeon General has a personal and immediate understanding of HIV. HIV/AIDS has dramatically increased in the inner cities and the South. Black gay men are the most likely to become infected with the virus. Those numbers are unfortinately increasing.
Dr. Regina Benjamin's nomination for surgeon general requires Senate confirmation. She is almost certainly to be confirmed.
WOW!
In her own life story lies and lives the story of so many in our communities around the country!
God rest her brother's soul and I pray and trust that she will bring all of these personal and heart-filled understandings to the Office of the Surgeon General and really begin the journey towards HEALTHCARE ACCESS in this country and better overall HEALTH AND WELLNESS!!!
Rod, thank you for this post!
Posted by: TheRevKev | 14 July 2009 at 12:29
bravo!
Posted by: DFS | 14 July 2009 at 12:34
Finally, a surgeon general who may get it.
Posted by: FREELEO | 14 July 2009 at 12:39
Well, she sounds likes an excellent choice. Her background certainly gives her plenty of empathy on various medical issues. I'm sure she'll be confirmed, but the Rethuglicans will put her through hoops and circles. They will place holds on her nomination which will delay things for a couple of months or so. But congratulations to her.
Posted by: Ravenback | 14 July 2009 at 14:01
Very impressive. I look forward to HIV being treated like the epidemic it is. Let's hope she doesn't crash and burn like Joycelyn Elders for daring to speak the truth.
Posted by: mjolnir202 | 14 July 2009 at 14:35
Good pick...hope she realises she will be a target
Posted by: nahtans | 14 July 2009 at 14:54
I'm with you, mjotnir202. I don't want her to crash and burn but, I do want her to speak truth to power every chance she gets. What would we profit if she gains great power and loses her soul and subsequently her voice in the process?
Posted by: FREELEO | 14 July 2009 at 15:01
yes
i love her
obama gets 2 cool points for his two recent appointees...
but i still hate him
for how he has betrayed poor/gays etc
he has MANY more pts to go to get back to 0 with me
Posted by: alicia banks | 15 July 2009 at 08:46