Recently in the news, the Carter Center reported that former president and humanitarian Jimmy Carter has made the decision to forgo medical treatment and spend his remaining days at home in the care of hospice after a series of short hospital stays.
Carter has defied illness and death for years surviving numerous falls, one which resulted in a hip fracture, and melanoma which spread to his liver and brain, all the while remaining active in Habitat for Humanity, the Carter Center, and teaching his beloved Sunday School Class at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains Georgia.
Politics aside, I think most of us can find admiration and respect for the contributions of one of Georgia’s most famous sons, especially in the advancement of health care worldwide.
Among many of his legacies, including Habitat for Humanity, the Carter Center is perhaps his and Rosalynn’s greatest contribution. A nongovernmental organization dedicated to improving life in more than 80 countries by resolving conflicts, advancing democracy and human rights, preventing diseases, and improving mental health care.
As a champion of global health, the Carter Center has taken the lead in the eradication of numerous tropical diseases by using health education and simple, low-cost methods.
Inspired by the worldwide eradication of smallpox in 1977, the International Task Force for Disease Eradication was formed in 1988 to evaluate disease control and prevention and the potential for eradicating other infectious diseases.
In addition, the Carter Center’s Mental Health Program includes the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health reporting, which helps create better-informed journalists and reporting on mental health issues. Despite their long-standing advocacy for the rights of people with mental illness, stigma and discrimination persist, and much work is still to be done to improve insurance coverage for mental health treatment.
Why should we care about global health?
Today we live in a global world. This became glaringly apparent during the worldwide Covid 19 epidemic. If our neighbors and partners do not have what they need to prevent and treat disease, it puts everyone at greater risk.
Besides being the right thing to do, good global health benefits society globally.
“We believe access to healthcare is a human right, especially among poor people afflicted with disease who are forgotten, ignored and often without hope. Just to know that someone cares about them not only can ease their physical pain, but also remove an element of alienation and anger that can lead to hatred and violence.” – Jimmy Carter
Well said, good and faithful servant. May your remaining days be filled with peace and the love of your family, friends, and a grateful world.
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Tracy Backer is a Registered Nurse with 39 years in the medical field specializing in critical care nursing. Her health columns appear regularly on Now Habersham. She may be reached at [email protected]. For more health-related content, click here.
