Creating a Connection
Dr. Andrew Pinto, Give a Day supporter writes…The “Give A Day” campaign is a lot more than just collecting donations. It’s about linking our work here with the daily work of dedicated clinicians, nurses and volunteers who are facing the AIDS pandemic in low-income countries.
Dr. Jane Philpott’s idea struck a chord: the simple donation of a day’s wages to an organization that directly delivers care to HIV-positive people who need it. When I first heard about this, I was a family medicine resident. I trained at a clinic that served a large number of people living with AIDS in Toronto. Creating a tangible connection between my work and the struggle in sub-Saharan Africa was important to me. I knew that millions of men, women and children there did not have access to the life-saving drugs that were available to our patients here.
This connection was further strengthened when I had the opportunity to volunteer as a physician with Dignitas International, one of the organizations that receives support from the GAD campaign. I am grateful to have had this privilege. The clinicians, nurses, students and patients in Malawi taught me a great deal, not just about clinical care, but the meaning of pragmatic solidarity.
As I settle back into my life in Toronto, my greatest hope is to reflect their commitment and passion in my day-to-day work. Our work and our worlds are indeed linked. This campaign not only helps organizations deliver AIDS related care to patients in low-income countries, but also gives our work here greater meaning.
Andrew Pinto is a family physician and resident in Community Medicine.
The views presented here are his own.
Published by: GiveADay on October 22nd, 2009 | Filed under Give a Day 2009, HIV/AIDS in Africa, Media, Workplace CampaignsComment now »
