Medical diplomacy
Last year when the tsunami took the lives of more than 250,000 people and impoverished countless more, a U.S. Naval hospital ship, the U.S.S. Mercy, was deployed to Indonesia as a flagship of humanitarian aid. More than 4,000 doctors and nurses applied for 210 posts aboard the ship, and over the subsequent five months these volunteers cared for an estimated 490,000 Indonesians on and off the shore. The numbers are compelling-"medical diplomacy," Howe calls it.
When the U.S. Navy committed the Mercy to Indonesia, they called on Project HOPE to staff it. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, when the Mercy's sister ship, the Comfort, was sent to the Gulf Coast once again, Project HOPE summoned the doctors and nurses to man the vessel.
Since its founding in 1958 by Dr. William Walsh, Project HOPE has rallied the forces of over 5,000 volunteer health care professionals and educators. The organization currently supplies over $100 million in aid to over 30 countries, every year. From the provision of immediate aid to disaster victims, to the training of foreign doctors and physicians, to the maintenance of health facilities abroad the reach of Project HOPE's charity extends around the globe.
As Dr. Howe explained, the aim of Project HOPE is at once united and diverse. "While there's a singular mission to Project HOPE, namely through health education and humanitarian aids, there are multiple sites of operation throughout the world," he said. "At any given moment, our priorities change in keeping with the needs of our people and programs."
Moving into medicine
Howe has come a long way on his journey to become the head of one of America's most active charities. Following his fulfillment of a B.A. in biology at the College, Howe received his medical degree from Boston University as well as a degree in health systems management from Harvard Business School.
From there, Howe's achievements have only grown more eclectic. In addition to leading Project HOPE, Howe spent two years as a major in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, served as chair to the American Medical Association's Council on Scientific Affairs and founded the Texas Society for Biomedical Research. Howe has also received a plethora of awards including the U.S. Army's Commander's Award for Public Service, the Surgeon General's Exemplary Service Award and 1998's Mr. South Texas award.
Childhood inspirations
As innumerable as his accomplishments and as worldly as his present aspirations may seem, Howe's first medical inspiration was drawn, not from something so grand and terrible as Hurricane Katrina, but rather from his encounters with doctors during his youth.
Howe credits his ambitions to two doctors. The first, Dr. Boynton, was a family doctor in Howe's hometown in Western Maine. "Dr. Boynton was seemingly endless in his energy," Howe recalled. "He would get up at 2 a.m. to deliver babies and then set fractures in late afternoon. He was a wonderful role model." The second doctor after whom Howe modeled his future self was his own grandfather, Dr. William F. Howe. A faculty member of what is now the University of Massachusetts, Dr. William Howe suffered strep throat before the development of penicillin, and eventually succumbed to the infection's resultant heart complications. Decades later, the junior Howe's story of homegrown inspiration is at once familiar and refreshing. "I always thought that one day I would want to make a difference in the lives of those with those difficulties," he said.
Not just a desk job
Howe became the third president of Project HOPE in May of 2001. With the 50th anniversary of the organization fast approaching, Howe presently directs a number of ambitious initiatives including the development of children's hospitals in Shanghai, Krakow and Iraq.
Howe's functions are not limited to administrative details. A trained cardiologist, the doctor frequently aids in the medical care of children and families himself.
When asked to describe his own personal motivation for his involvement in the project, Howe recounted his personal experiences in service: "When I think of leadership in Project HOPE I think of making a difference in the life of a child," he said. "For example, I think of little Iqbal, who was found clinging to a log at sea after the tsunami in Southeast Asia. He was brought to shore and stopped breathing. For 12 days he was on a respirator, unable to breathe by himself. The doctors and nurses of Project HOPE worked round the clock to save his life, and they succeeded. This is what motivates me."
Responding to disaster
In the wake of recent disasters such as the tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, the earthquakes in Pakistan and the mudslides in Guatemala the world seems aware of international crises on an unprecedented level.
As Howe noted, America's response to the suffering of its neighbors is reason for optimism. "What has been heartwarming to see has been the outpouring of support from the American people," said Howe. "Project HOPE has been a priority for them and their giving. Their generosity has allowed us to respond in dramatic ways to the health needs of those affected by the tsunami, the earthquakes and hurricanes."
Given the adversity faced by American interests abroad, humanitarian efforts are particularly welcome as being indicative of a more globally conscious America. "What was absolutely remarkable in Indonesia was to witness the response of the people to the volunteer doctors and nurses onboard the Mercy," noted Howe.
In early 2004, a poll conducted in Indonesia-the country with the largest Muslim population in the world-found American approval ratings of less than 20 percent. Two months following the departure of the Mercy, a revisit of that same poll found that approval ratings had risen to over 70 percent.
Howe acknowledged that the increase in approval was not entirely due to the ship. "No question about that. But the ship was the primary and most visible symbol of American generosity during the months following the tsunami," he said. "In the troubled world of today, this is the kind of outreach which can be so important to us here in America who care very deeply about the well-being of our fellow citizens in the world. So we at Project HOPE feel honored to make a difference in the lives of men, women and children and in turn gain their trust."
Doctor's orders
Here at Amherst there are countless among us who aspire to careers in medicine. To these students, Dr. Howe offered his advice. "Amherst prepares its graduates for a wide range of careers," he said. "And most often, the professions of engineering, medicine and law top the list. But I'm a living example of an Amherst graduate who has devoted my life to public service."
In light of a prevalent tendency to heed ambition first and charity second, Dr. Howe encouraged our generation's humanitarian spirit. "My experience has been different form the traditional career paths," he said. "Hopefully, as many have been role models for me, I can be a small inspiration to those interested in public service."